The Gilroy Unified School District will be interviewing a
replacement Wednesday for Jack Daley, athletic director of Gilroy
High School whose ouster has garnered a tidal wave of community
opposition. Full article
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The Gilroy Unified School District will be interviewing a replacement Wednesday for Jack Daley, athletic director of Gilroy High School since 2000 whose ouster has garnered three public protest rallies and a tidal wave of community opposition.
“The position has been posted, and there have been applicants for the position,” said GUSD trustee Jaime Rosso, who said there is one interview scheduled for Wednesday this week.
Searches on EDJOIN.org – a public education job search website frequently utilized by GUSD – did not yield any results advertising the availability of an athletic director opening in Gilroy, leading Rosso to suspect school administrators may have posted the position internally.
“I think that’s usually the norm on that kind of decision. I would assume they would first check interests within the district,” he said.
As for when the hiring will be made, “it’s hard to say beyond that.”
In May, Rosso – who called himself “an advocate for Jack” – expressed hesitation over the board’s decision to remove the athletic director, an action taken in mid-May at the conclusion of a GUSD investigation stemming from an injury DUI accident involving former GHS track and field coach Alvin Harrison.
“For me this has been a very difficult decision,” he said in May. “I have very mixed feelings about it. I feel divided on this one.”
Since then, Rosso remains the only board member to disclose a personal stance. In late-May he stated, “I do regret to a certain extent the actions that have been taken with Jack Daley.”
During a phone conversation Tuesday, Rosso indicated his opinion hasn’t changed.
As for further action regarding the board’s ongoing handling of the situation, Rosso did say trustees retreated into closed session after a school board meeting June 16 at 7810 Arroyo Circle, where discussion on the topic continued.
“We discussed the community input,” he said, referring to the dozens of protesters donning “Bring Jack Back” T-shirts who showed up for their third consecutive rally earlier in the evening. “Essentially the decision was considered, and reconsidered, and no change was made in the decision as far as I’m aware of.”
Rosso maintained he could not elaborate on closed session dialogue any further.
“I’m not supposed to talk in any specifics. That’s kind of our agreement.”
Acknowledging protesters such as GHS alumna Mandi Jo Torres, who have vowed to continue protesting “even if I’m the sole soldier here” until the board reverses its decision and reinstates Daley, Rosso said advocates “have every right to do what they feel.”
In terms of other board members and their opinions on the highly publicized circumstance, Rosso maintained he doesn’t know if they’ll say anything.
“At this point, it’s out of my hands … it’s been a very difficult decision.”
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