Dogged public demands calling for the Gilroy Unified School
District to reinstate ousted Athletic Director Jack Daley didn’t
sway administrators from interviewing an internal candidate this
week, one of two vying for the job at Gilroy High School.
Dogged public demands calling for the Gilroy Unified School District to reinstate ousted Athletic Director Jack Daley didn’t sway administrators from interviewing an internal candidate this week, one of two vying for the job at Gilroy High School.
Daley, who has sat on the sidelines for the last month as his supporters packed Board meetings, waved signs from street curbs at passing cars, donned “Bring Back Jack T-shirts” and flooded The Dispatch with letters of support, gave his first in-depth interview Wednesday afternoon since the incident.
Sporting one of his 52 blue T-shirts – a signature piece of apparel for the man who “bleeds” GHS colors, as one supporter phrased it – Daley was flanked by his wife, Karen Daley, outside Starbucks as the two opened up about the ordeal.
“I still have a desire to be involved in some way in the athletic program, so I don’t see myself shrinking into a cocoon and just stepping out,” Daley said.
Throughout the conversation, the district employee of 20 years said there have never been issues related to his job performance up until now. He came across as resolved, more so than bitter.
“I’m hoping for Alvin that he uses this to turn his life around and get his act together,” he added, referring to the man supporters say cost Daley his job.
The former AD’s removal came at the conclusion of a GUSD investigation – which neither the school district nor Daley’s attorney will release – stemming from an injury DUI accident involving former GHS track and field coach Alvin Harrison.
After the accident, it was discovered Harrison did not have a valid driver’s license while driving a school-rented van on an athletic field trip in Southern California, according to the California Highway Patrol. No students were with Harrison in the rented vehicle.
A school district investigation revealed Daley rented the vehicle for Harrison to use, but Daley reiterated to the Dispatch that he had no knowledge of Harrison’s invalid license.
On Wednesday, the district interviewed one candidate according to GUSD Superintendent Debbie Flores, who confirmed there are two applicants for the GHS opening that was advertised internally to all certificated staff in a June 13 email. Notifying employees first to see if there is interest within the district is standard practice, she said.
In May, Flores said the district would likely re-assign Daley to a social studies or government teaching position, however Daley said he will be supervising the On Campus Suspension Program at GHS during the 2012-13 school year.
Daley remarked that this was “something that I can live with for a year,” but it’s not what he wants to do for the long haul.
An additional source of ambiguity for athletes and parents is the district’s decision to keep the father of three from coaching next year.
Shaking his head slightly, Daley said this also perplexes him.
“I’m OK to be with kids all day, and then at 3 p.m., I just …” His voice trailed. “I’m still trying to understand that.”
The investigation into the incident was conducted by Nitasha Sawhney, an attorney with the Garcia Calderon Ruiz Law Firm that represents GUSD.
When asked for a copy of the investigation, Flores declined saying it’s a personnel-related matter.
Presented with the same request, Daley said this was something he would have to discuss with his legal counsel.
His lawyer, Joseph Cisneros, also declined to provide a copy without speaking to Daley first – but said the report does not contain “anything incriminating” that would justify the decision to transfer Daley to another position in the school.
It would be one thing if Daley was fired, Cisneros delineated, “but as long as Daley is an employee of the district, “we don’t want to be in violation of anything within the Education Code.”
The remaining steps are political, he said, which means “looking at why the board decided to let him go.”
How Daley is at fault, for that matter, is exactly what supporters have been asking with mounting frustration in light of limited answers from a district guarding itself against pending litigation.
So far two claims have been filed against GUSD. One is on behalf of Calvin Harrison, twin brother of former GHS track and field coach Alvin Harrison who was in the car. The second was on behalf of injured Eriberto Garcia, another driver who was injured in the accident and has retained legal services through Motlagh Law Firm in Irvine to file a suit against GUSD. According to Motlagh’s office manager, Garcia is still in therapy and it is unclear if GUSD’s insurance will cover all of his medical bills.
When he was removed from his position, Daley said reasons provided to him by the district were that Harrison did not have a valid driver’s license, as well as the initial decision to hire Harrison – although Daley explained this was a shared responsibility between himself and GHS Principal Marco Sanchez.
“We made sure Flores was on board,” he added, recalling the superintendent signing off on their choice.
Out of everyone involved, Daley underlined himself as lowest on the totem pole, saying “if you look at the pecking order, whose the easiest person to deal with?”
He highlighted a contention with the license hiccup – something Daley feels should have been an HR issue.
“When you’re hiring someone specifically for a coach, that would certainly be something I think you would want follow up on from an HR role,” he said.
As revealed in a statement released by Cisneros, Harrison presented the GUSD Human Resources Department with a California Identification Card when he was hired by GHS.
“This should have been a big warning light that there was an issue with his driver’s license,” Cisneros wrote. “Clearly, it was not Mr. Daley’s duty to conduct that background investigation.”
On Wednesday, Daley explained checking the licenses of new hires was never a mandated responsibility in his job description – although he was never provided with a job description in the first place.
“We’ve asked for one, but I had not seen a job description prior to that,” he said.
There is a job description for the GHS athletic director now, but the district did not create one until after the incident, according to Daley.
So far, Jaime Rosso is the only school board trustee to disclose a personal stance. He expressed hesitation over the board’s decision, which he regrets “to a certain extent.”
During a phone conversation Tuesday, Rosso indicated his opinion hasn’t changed, “but at this point, it’s out of my hands.”
Whatever happens, Daley said making a positive impact on students, coaches and teachers remains a passion and priority.
The veteran district staffer says these were the big draws of being an AD, and could be happy doing a lot of things related to this realm.
“It’s all about attitude,” he said. “You choose your attitude.”
