DAYTON SCHOOLS, STATE DISAGREE ON FOOTBALL FIASCO
OHSAA gave district 3 years probation, $10K fine for football fiasco.
Dayton Public Schools and the Ohio High School Athletic Association appear to blame different people for the fiasco at the Oct. 28 Dunbar-Belmont football game, in part because their investigations focused on different things a fact that angers one — school board member.
The district’s investigative report, written by DPS Safety and Security Director Jamie Bullens, only briefly touches on the issue of Dunbar players being told to lose the game, dealing mainly with how an ineligible player was used.
Bullens’ report concludes that Dunbar’s football coaching staff and the Dunbar athletic director failed the team by playing an academically ineligible player. A statement by Superintendent Rhonda Corr on Friday also mentions the eligibility issue, but makes no direct mention of purposely trying to losing the game.
But the OHSAA’s Thursday letter, placing all DPS schools on three years of probation, ties the punishments mainly to the allegation of throwing the game. And the letter suggests the coaches are not primarily to blame for that.
“We are convinced that no coach in any sport would jeopardize the outcome of a contest in such a manner without some encouragement, suggestion or direction from administrators or others in the district,” the OHSAA’s letter reads.
The letter does not specify which “administrators or others in the district” the OHSAA believes directed the coaches to throw the game, saying there is