Amazed Gilroy High hired a drug-using cheater as a coach and that the Silvas were fired

Dear Editor,
A few months ago I read about the new assistant track coach at
Gilroy High School. I was amazed that he was hired after being
stripped of an Olympic medal when it was found he had used
performance enhancing drugs. I was more amazed that nobody
commented or seemed concerned. I certainly would not want my child
being coached by an individual who believed that winning was
important at any cost and that cheating was okay.
Dear Editor,

A few months ago I read about the new assistant track coach at Gilroy High School. I was amazed that he was hired after being stripped of an Olympic medal when it was found he had used performance enhancing drugs. I was more amazed that nobody commented or seemed concerned. I certainly would not want my child being coached by an individual who believed that winning was important at any cost and that cheating was okay.

On Tuesday, The Dispatch reported this same coach had wrecked a district rented van and had been arrested for a DUI while on a school function. While I was relieved that no students were injured, I must say I was not amazed this happened after we comprised our integrity by hiring him in the first place. I was, however, amazed this man was allowed to be an example for our student athletes and in a very short period of time was granted the authority to fire the Silvas, as the Dispatch article reported.

The Silvas have been a staple in GHS track for years. They have been dedicated to athletic success and embody integrity in all they have done and continue to do. They have a genuine interest in all athletes, athletic success and fair competition. They are often found to be first setting up for a meet and last to leave. They are always willing to help any athlete who seeks help or is passionate about a sport. They are tremendous hosts to the many schools and athletes who have come through Gilroy for CCS and other important track events and Gilroy is fortunate to have them represent our community.

Shame on the GHS head track coach and Jack Daley for allowing a new coach with questionable integrity to be hired in the first place and shame on them for then granting that coach the authority to fire the Silvas.  

Maybe it is time for us to deal with how people with authority in our district set and enforce policy rather than just deal with a policy when it proves flawed. GHS Principal Marco Sanchez has come in with a big stick and cleaned up many aspects of GHS, but this issue should be addressed very visibly and swiftly such that a real zero tolerance policy is adopted and uniformly enforced.

Likewise, Christopher High School has had similar issues related to integrity. Zero tolerance policies have not always been uniformly enforced and athletes have witnessed students gone one semester for drug use, back the next semester and allowed to compete in sports. What message are we sending to our kids and at what cost? 

Across the district athletes can be prevented from competing in a sport if they receive two “N” marks in citizenship. These marks may result from tardies or even a teacher claiming a student was talking excessively in class. But a coach stripped of an Olympic medal can be hired and nobody questions if that is the right message and example for our kids? No wonder students and parents are frustrated by what constantly seems to be a double standard and lack of accountability in this district.

The students look to the adults in our community to set standards and enforce them. They look to teachers, coaches and administrators to define integrity. The adults need to remember they are often the mentors who set examples daily for young student athletes who are still in the process of shaping their own integrity.

Come on Gilroy, we are better than this. We can’t tell our kids not to cheat and reward cheaters. We can’t tell our kids that integrity only counts when you win. We can’t tell our kids to do their best and let staff members and administrators not do their best by our kids and we can’t tell our kids we have no money for books or teachers but we can pay for legal damages when a coach is charged with a DUI and wrecks a van when he is supposed to be supervising our student athletes.

I hope the parents of the athletes involved will speak up and speak up loudly, but I also hope the rest of the community will demand our administrators do better for our students, our athletes and our community in the future.

Michelle Bailey, Gilroy