A person anonymously shared the news about Eastlake High School Principal Gilbert Martinez and how he handled a situation with a coach who has a disability.
The post talked about how Gilbert’s decision ended up leaving people upset and confused because it didn’t explain things clearly.
According to the post, Gilbert Martinez, the principal of Eastlake High School, held a meeting with parents late one night, around 9 p.m.
A well-respected and successful basketball head coach named Taylor got removed from his coaching position after he told people about his disability. This coach is also a veteran who is rated 100 percent disabled.
According to the post, this coach had never been in trouble before with discipline, and he did nothing that would normally get someone fired under the school rules.
Likewise, no students were hurt or put in danger because of him.
Apparently, instead of getting help or some kind of understanding from the school, the coach just got taken off his job.
The writer felt that instead of getting help or some kind of understanding from the school, the coach just got taken off his job.
Meanwhile, people are wondering why the school chose to punish him rather than find a way to support him or make changes that would let him keep working, especially since laws about disabilities require schools to talk things out in good faith and offer reasonable help.
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The anonymous person who penned the post asked why mental health issues seem to get treated worse than other health problems, and what kind of example this sets for veterans, teachers, and kids at the school.
In no time, the post made rounds with several people commenting on the post, and opinions went in different directions.
Some agreed with the writer and felt bad for the coach, while others thought the school did the right thing because there was more to the story.
An anonymous person wrote that no coach would be removed without any cause, writing, “He did not loose his teaching job but was removed as the boys head coach for basketball with good cause. I not a big fan of Mr. Martinez but this time he made the right call. Coach Taylor was removed with cause.“
The same person further revealed that the coach abandoned the basketball team, writing:
He had a mental episodel and abandoned the basketball team at an out of town basketball tournament. Ask yourself a question. Would you let your kids be coached by someone who abandons them and goes AWOL? I know I would not.
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Another anonymous commenter talked about past problems:
There is no way a school administration or school district would ever remove any coach or teacher from their position without cause knowing that a teacher’s union would easily win a grievance against such action. Not to mention it would be illegal to discriminate against any employee’s mental illness.
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This instance , however it is correctly presented is not this SISD employee’s first infraction. What the majority of our community members don’t know is that Eastlake administration has been made aware of two instances in the past where this employee violated school, district and even UIL rules.
A parent mentioned something positive about the principal and hinted that he wouldn’t do such things without any cause, “He’s actually very supportive with my daughter with special needs. He approves her transfer form every year and has gone above and beyond to meet her needs.”
While someone else pushed back and defended the coach, writing:
If you are going to post something anonymous probably your son doesn’t get the playing time u would want for him and you want Coach Taylor out. I was there at that trip and at no point in time were the kids abandoned or in any danger. Several parents were there with them and Coach Martinez.
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The whole thing has people in the community talking a lot, with some wanting the coach back and others saying the school had reasons to make the change.
