The reinstatement of Lincoln High coaches Crooks, Kelley

I was recently approached at our last School Committee meeting by a parent who was upset that Coach (Kent) Crooks was reinstated. She was unhappy I came out in the papers supporting our basketball coach. She didn’t mention anything about our other coach, (Jay) Kelley, who was affected. She went on to say that “they have been trying to get rid of Coach Crooks for years.” She also told me that Coach (Steve) Carvalho is so wonderful and all the parents love him. I expressed to her that I have known him since we were kids and it wasn’t about that.

It was about supporting the right thing, and that there was so much more to the story that I can’t divulge per legal reasons. I also explained to her that I don’t base my decisions on friendships and emotions, which she ignored. I would have supported Coach Carvalho if the situation was reversed. A few days later, this person went online to disguise Pawtucket Times herself in the and blasted another negative campaign against me and Joe Goho, my fellow at-large committee member. She then proceeded to email the entire School Committee in another confusing rant full of misinformation and baseless claims. Her behavior is all about being negative and counterproductive and I am proud to say I have no time for that.

I later found out that Coach Crooks had cut her child from the basketball team. Since this has happened, she, along with a very small clique in Lincoln, has led a negative crusade against him. If my son or daughter were cut from a sports team, I would take two steps, that is, if they wanted to tryout the next year; ask the coach where they could improve and then get them ready for the next tryout. I find that constructive and honest conversations go along way. Putting blame on others is not only selfish but also a way to deflect attention from the real root of the problem. Sometimes people think they can bully public servants, and because we serve the public, we can’t speak up for ourselves. This might be true for some people in the public eye, but not me; I have a mind and a voice and intend to use both toward those who want to involve me in their nonsense.

I encourage all Lincoln taxpayers and parents to contact me with the intent of having constructive conversations without personal and negative agendas. I have been visible and have kept to my pledges about transparency and accountability. If anything out there is of the contrary, it is 100 percent false.

Warm regards,