All parties involved in a recently completed district
investigation looking into the conduct of a Gilroy High girls
basketball coach, which spanned seven months and cost tens of
thousands of taxpayer dollars, declined comment or did not return
repeated messages for comment Monday.
GILROY – All parties involved in a recently completed district investigation looking into the conduct of a Gilroy High girls basketball coach, which spanned seven months and cost tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars, declined comment or did not return repeated messages for comment Monday.
Superintendent Debbie Flores confirmed she has made her decision on whether Susan Shapiro, an off-campus first-year coach, will return to lead the team next season, but she declined to say what that decision is because it is a personnel matter. Flores said she “did make the necessary notifications.”
Shapiro has been under the scrutiny of Gilroy Unified School District following two complaints made by Ed and Lisa Foster and one by the parent of another player. The Foster’s original complaint centered around religious discrimination against their daughter, Lindsey Foster, while the second was focused on retaliation by the coach once the district cleared Shapiro of the discrimination charges.
Tina Steele filed a similar complaint to the second filed by the Fosters, claiming Shapiro told another GHS coach her daughter, Laura Steele, would be cut from next year’s team along with Lindsey Foster.
Lisa Foster declined comment on Flores’ decision and Shapiro did not return repeated messages.
Trustee Francisco Dominguez said he knew what Flores’ decision is in regards to Shapiro’s future with the school, but he said he could not comment on the situation because it is a personnel matter.
Dominguez did lament how long the situation has lingered, from a school investigation started by GHS Athletic Director Jack Daley in the fall of last year up until Flores’ decision last Friday.
“I wish we wouldn’t have to get to this point,” Dominguez said.
Daley did not return messages seeking comment. If Shapiro is dismissed from her coaching duties, he would be responsible for hiring a new coach on short notice. The 2009-10 season starts in November.
