Prep coach gets off (after not, um, getting off)

What do we think of this?

DAYTONA BEACH -- Mainland High School head football coach John Maronto was returned to his position Tuesday by Volusia County schools Superintendent Margaret Smith, three days after his arrest on a misdemeanor charge of soliciting a prostitute.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2010/09/08/mainland-coach-gets-to-keep-job.html

*Updated with new story.

 

Muggsy was my football coach in high school 30-plus years ago.
I thought he knew better than to buy on the street.

Guys who played under him are torn -- some are defending him, some aren't. All say he made a bad choice.

 

If only Craigslist hadn't censored its adult services section. He might have done some research online first and avoided all of this.

 

Funny part is, in looking at his mugshot, he hasn't aged much. Older, yes. Different, no.


And it does make me laugh when they talk about his great record in Florida. His first four seasons as a head coach were 5-4 (four all-state players), 5-4, 4-5, 2-7. Only when they dropped my high school to a weaker division did it start winning. He parlayed that weaker schedule into a job at Massillon, where they ran him out after three years because he couldn't beat McKinley.

 

Small world. Did you know he was coaching in Florida now?

I think he should have been fired for this. That might seem harsh, but nobody twisted his arm. And letting him stay sends a terrible message to the students. Plus, I don't have confidence that this guy will provide sound advice and the proper help to kids with problems. Kids always run to their coach with their problems, and he's coaching several kids with lots of off-the-field issues to conquer. Why not encourage him to resign and give the job to a young coach?

 

I lost track after he left Bethune-Cookman.

 

Is this a public school? If so, how can the administration/coaches get away with barring reporters from practice at a public school?

Had a coach once tell me when I was a cub reporter I couldn't watch their practice. I politely pointed to the 50 or so dads and hangers-on who WERE watching practice, and told him now that I was a taxpayer in that school's district, I'd watch as much of practice as I wanted to.

They can bar kids from talking to you. Pretty sure they can't keep you off the property, though.

 

Well, anyone is innocent until proven guilty. But I'm surprised he is being reinstated with a charge pending. Usually a guy gets suspended with pay pending the resolution of the case.

 

I think a suspension with pay was warranted. After all, they have the guy on video. It's not like there's a good chance that the school district would get egg on its face on this one. They just don't think it warrants a firing....I guess.

 

HeinekenMan, FYI, your link is now busted for whatever reason.

Here's the latest story:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2010/09/08/mainland-coach-gets-to-keep-job.html

Seems like this district doesn't like firing people -- elementary school principal gets popped for DUI, and he gets to keep his job.

 

It's Daytona Beach, people. If they fired everyone for things like DUI and hooking up with prostitutes, who would be left to work?

 

A 68 year old teacher and coach making $37K is sad commentary on the educational system in Florida.