jennifer griffin

[jennifer griffin @JennGriff1]

If you are ever going to have a successful campus, please understand that these students are closer to adulthood than they get credit for and need to be treated as such. Turning their lives upside down and not giving them enough respect as to a reason why leaves no room for mutual respect in return. Extreme demands are being placed on them while their superiors operate without consequences? I can only pray that they take this experience of bullying and grow from it so they can have a more positive influence in the youth community than their current "role models" as adults one day.

Thank You,
Concerned Parent

[jennifer griffin @JennGriff1]

@CentralUSD @PAGMETER @JGH_Activities @ABC30
@CBS47 @hitordiepod

Central Unified School District:

You recently fired our exceptional head baseball coach at Justin Garza High School and wanted the input from parents as to what we are looking for in a new coach. Our future coach MUST have either past pro and/or D1 college experience as a player with HIGH knowledge of the game, be a role model for our children and someone that has high expectations and demands of the boys and holds them to high standards over winning.

You also asked us to help with a new mission statement for future coaches to abide by but that would be impossible as Coach Rothford already encompassed every quality I would have wished for and more. He was a safe spot for our boys to land when they no longer trusted the administration after the firing of their last coach.

I do know that an assistant JV coach that was let go after last season has applied for the job and our boys will never give him the same respect they gave Colby or Rothford if he is hired. As a JV coach he did not hold himself to the amount of professionalism or carry with him enough baseball knowledge that should be demanded of a Varsity Head coach. He also stole from the program by refusing to return his coaching attire and whatever baseball gear he had with him at the time. What kind of example will that set for a team of Varsity players? I know one hundred percent that stealing is not a part of ANY MISSION STATEMENT the district tries to promote and I will refuse to let my son play for someone that sets that kind of example!

My son has a 4.17 gpa and is an outstanding student before athlete. The firing of Coach Rothford has caused him an extreme amount of confusion, frustration and mental exhaustion from the undue stress of his future being up in the air. School is supposed to be a safe place and he now resents the school board and select office staff knowing that most likely this entire situation was in regards to adult vendettas and/or nepotistic behavior.

A few unprofessional ADULTS that had hurt or jealous feelings placed their innate desire for vengeance above the needs and well being of every student participant in the Justin Garza Baseball program! The extremes they have gone to hurt these boys psychologically is far beyond anything Coach Rothford could have ever unintentionally done, yet they keep their jobs while our boys suffer! Where do these staff members stand in your mission statement?

My son has begged to stay home from school for at least 5 out of the last 10 days because he is so tired from sleepless nights due to the stress caused by childish adults that put their feelings over the well beings of an entire baseball program of student athletes. Students that were NEVER interviewed because they loved their coach and their responses would not have lined up with the district's agendas.

My son has now on numerous occasions told me that the district literally "HATES" the baseball players and program at Justin Garza and their goal is to make them miserable. I can't possibly see this as true but this is how the district has portrayed themselves to these young men. It has been proven that the boys will never have a voice within the district as they have shown up in every way possible to protest and have their voices heard and are met with only a response of silence.

How does this reflect on your mission statement? Teaching young men that their voices don't matter if they oppose your agendas? Where is this stated in your procedure? This just goes to prove that while a mission statement, no matter how beautifully worded and well intended, is only that! Nothing more than unthoughtful words unless actions are there to follow them, which they are not.

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