California’s basketball coach was fired after a vote by the school district. This happened in response to an incident that saw some of his players throwing tortillas at students from a predominantly Hispanic high school.
In a closed Tuesday session of the Coronado Unified School Board, members voted 5-0 to let go of JD Laaperi from his position at Coronado High, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.|Members of the Coronado Unified School Board voted 5-0 to remove JD Laaperi, from his position at Coronado High.
According to local media, the San Diego Bay board did not provide any further details about the vote. However, it noted that no action was taken regarding potential punishments for the students involved.
After Coronado had defeated Orange Glen High School’s basketball team by three points in the CIF Southern California Boys Basketball Division 4A Regional Championship, the incident took place Saturday evening.
Lizardo Reynoso, an assistant basketball coach for Orange Glen, told local ABC affiliate KGTV that his team was “going to take the loss the way they were supposed to,” though witnesses said a squabble between coaching staff erupted following the game.|Lizardo Reynoso was an assistant basketball coach at Orange Glen. He told local ABC affiliate KGTV his team was going to “take the loss the way that they were supposed to,” but witnesses claimed that there was a spat between the coaching staff after the game.}
According to the Union-Tribune, witnesses claimed that Laaperi cursed at Orange Glen coach after the game and said, “That’s why we don’t talk [expletive]” and, “Get your children out of here and get the [expletive] out.”
According to the Union-Tribune Laaperi claimed that he was advised by his school district to not speak to media members. However, the coach tweeted Sunday that it was “a community member” who distributed and brought the tortillas to the game. This was described as “unacceptable, racist in nature.”
Laaperi said, “I don’t condone such behavior.” “Coronado High School doesn’t condone such behavior and is already taking the appropriate actions.”
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Coronado Unified School District’s Governing Board on Sunday sent a letter to the Escondido Union High School District, which oversees Orange Glen, officially apologizing for the incident, calling the actions “egregious, demeaning, and disrespectful.”|The Coronado Unified Schools District’s Governing Body sent a letter to the Escondido Union School District, which manages Orange Glen. It officially apologized for the incident and called the actions “egregious demeaning and disrespectful”.}
The board stated that Tuesday’s meeting was to hear the initial results of ongoing investigations, and to consider any additional actions that might be necessary.
Coronado Schools Superintendent Karl Mueller also issued an apology, writing that district officials were “appalled” over the actions, and that “swift action will be taken to address all those involved, and they will be held accountable.”|Karl Mueller, Coronado Schools Superintendent, also offered an apology . He stated that the district officials were “appalled” at their actions and that swift action would be taken to address them all. They will be held responsible.}