Marty Dillon, the embattled former athletic director and
softball coach at San Benito High School, lost his appeal to have
his job reinstated, the Pinnacle has learned.
Marty Dillon, the embattled former athletic director and softball coach at San Benito High School, lost his appeal to have his job reinstated, the Pinnacle has learned.
“I’m glad that this has finally come to an end,” said the mother of a former student who had accused Dillon of grabbing her breasts. “I just got a call from the attorney. It’s a relief. I couldn’t see them reaching any other decision than this. We hope we can all go forward from here.”
“It’s the right decision,” added Donna Williamson, attorney for the school board.
The alleged impropriety occurred at a summer softball league game in Stockton. Police officials declined to press charges, but the school board heard testimony and considered other information in making its decision, including allegations that Dillon inflated his daughter’s batting statistics in order for her to make the all MBL team her senior season.
After the school board released Dillon from his job, he filed an appeal, which was heard over two weeks in October at a site in Morgan Hill. A panel of arbitrators made up of an administrative attorney and two school administrators from outside school districts heard his appeal.
“If it’s true, we would be extremely, extremely disappointed,” said Dillon’s attorney Joseph Cisneros, who learned of the ruling from a reporter.
He said he would file a petition for a writ of mandate with the San Benito County Superior Court, which is similar to an appeal.
