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Group unhappy by St. David board's hiring
Thelma Grimes
San Pedro Valley News-Sun
Resident Sarah Judd said she is disgusted with the St. David School Board's lack of response to questions as they hired Ron Goodman to be the high school baseball coach, replacing James Crawford.
Crawford was released at the end of last season in what became a controversial decision. While school officials claimed they had just decided not to renew Crawford's contract, he said it was more like saying he was fired.
Crawford brought 13 state titles to the school, along with 12 consecutive region titles and was featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd in 2002.
However, as controversial as Crawford's exit was, the board's decision to replace him with Goodman over Albert Jacquez raised more eyebrows.
Before Goodman was hired in a unanimous vote Oct. 2, Judd said she had tried to take action and slow the process. Judd and Jacquez's daughter-in-law collected 82 signatures on an unofficial petition, asking the board to answer a list of questions regarding the hiring process.
"We had a lot of concerns with the hiring panel; it just didn't seem fair," Judd said. "We wanted the board to make sure the process was fair. But the board did not answer any of our questions and just rushed the decision through."
According to the minutes from the meeting, St. David Athletic Director and Principal Mark Goodman was asked by board members if they felt the hiring process was fair. He said it was.
However, Judd said the board never told the more than 20 residents in attendance why Ron Goodman was being hired over Jacquez. Goodman said the hiring panel's decision to hire Goodman was unanimous because he was more qualified.
Ron and Mark Goodman are not related.
Judd said it was heartbreaking for residents to watch the school overlook Jacquez, who has been serving the district for 14 years.
"The board didn't really bother to dig into the issue; they took the word of Mark Goodman," Judd said. "Of course he is going to say the hiring process was handled fairly. I believe you have to have checks and balances and the board just wanted to take Mr. Goodman's word for it. It just didn't seem fair."
Ron Goodman, who was a volunteer for the Benson baseball team while his sons were attending school, was brought into the St. David program as an assistant last year. Jacquez has also been serving as the assistant baseball coach for the last 13 years.
Jacquez was the school's head basketball coach last season and has also served as an assistant for football, the head coach of junior high school baseball and was a volunteer assistant baseball coach for the American Legion summer team.
Jacquez also has children participating in multiple sports programs at the school.
Sue Kartchner, president of the St. David School Board, said they felt they did answer the residents' questions.
"Everything was addressed. We didn't read down the list of questions, but I felt like their concerns were addressed," she said. "I was not directly involved with the hiring process, but I was in favor of the decision the administration made. The presentation during the meeting indicated the process was fair and I have confidence in the facts presented. It came down to experience, and Mr. Goodman had the superior qualifications."
Judd, along with Aubri Jacquez, said neither the board nor the hiring panel disclosed what Goodman's superior qualifications were.
"We have nothing against Mr. Goodman," Aubri Jacquez said. "We just didn't feel this was handled fairly. We were hoping that by submitting questions that not only players, but also parents had concerns about that, the board might table the issue for more discussion and investigate some of these concerns."
Kartchner said the thing to remember is that hiring Goodman was not an easy decision, and the board does recognize the contributions Jacquez has made to the school.
"I am confident in the process and believe the committee had no other alternative than to do what's best for the boys and the baseball program," she said. "I do not feel in any way the candidate had been predetermined, and it was fair."
There are a lot of similarities between Goodman's and Jacquez's resumes with slight differences, such as Goodman's spending most of his time in baseball, while Jacquez coaches a variety of sports programs.
"Baseball is my passion," Goodman said in his resume. "I coach no other sports other than helping athletes in the weight room all year. I continue to further my knowledge of the game by attending coaching clinics from year to year. In 2005 I was honored and named the Arizona Coaches Association 1A-3A All Star Game Dedicatee for continued work and dedication in promoting baseball."
Goodman also listed he was a scout for the Texas Rangers baseball team in 2001-02.
Judd said she is disgusted with the board's actions. Judd said she herself does not have children attending the St. David School District, but she has plenty of family members attending and she does pay taxes.
Last year, Jacquez applied for the head football coach position after Bary Judd retired. Jacquez, who had been the assistant coach since 1999, did not get the job, which went to Ovean Moore.
Judd said while they hold nothing against Moore, who had done a great job improving the football program, they are still not happy that Jacquez continues to be passed over.
San Pedro Valley News-Sun
Resident Sarah Judd said she is disgusted with the St. David School Board's lack of response to questions as they hired Ron Goodman to be the high school baseball coach, replacing James Crawford.
Crawford was released at the end of last season in what became a controversial decision. While school officials claimed they had just decided not to renew Crawford's contract, he said it was more like saying he was fired.
Crawford brought 13 state titles to the school, along with 12 consecutive region titles and was featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd in 2002.
However, as controversial as Crawford's exit was, the board's decision to replace him with Goodman over Albert Jacquez raised more eyebrows.
Before Goodman was hired in a unanimous vote Oct. 2, Judd said she had tried to take action and slow the process. Judd and Jacquez's daughter-in-law collected 82 signatures on an unofficial petition, asking the board to answer a list of questions regarding the hiring process.
"We had a lot of concerns with the hiring panel; it just didn't seem fair," Judd said. "We wanted the board to make sure the process was fair. But the board did not answer any of our questions and just rushed the decision through."
According to the minutes from the meeting, St. David Athletic Director and Principal Mark Goodman was asked by board members if they felt the hiring process was fair. He said it was.
However, Judd said the board never told the more than 20 residents in attendance why Ron Goodman was being hired over Jacquez. Goodman said the hiring panel's decision to hire Goodman was unanimous because he was more qualified.
Ron and Mark Goodman are not related.
Judd said it was heartbreaking for residents to watch the school overlook Jacquez, who has been serving the district for 14 years.
"The board didn't really bother to dig into the issue; they took the word of Mark Goodman," Judd said. "Of course he is going to say the hiring process was handled fairly. I believe you have to have checks and balances and the board just wanted to take Mr. Goodman's word for it. It just didn't seem fair."
Ron Goodman, who was a volunteer for the Benson baseball team while his sons were attending school, was brought into the St. David program as an assistant last year. Jacquez has also been serving as the assistant baseball coach for the last 13 years.
Jacquez was the school's head basketball coach last season and has also served as an assistant for football, the head coach of junior high school baseball and was a volunteer assistant baseball coach for the American Legion summer team.
Jacquez also has children participating in multiple sports programs at the school.
Sue Kartchner, president of the St. David School Board, said they felt they did answer the residents' questions.
"Everything was addressed. We didn't read down the list of questions, but I felt like their concerns were addressed," she said. "I was not directly involved with the hiring process, but I was in favor of the decision the administration made. The presentation during the meeting indicated the process was fair and I have confidence in the facts presented. It came down to experience, and Mr. Goodman had the superior qualifications."
Judd, along with Aubri Jacquez, said neither the board nor the hiring panel disclosed what Goodman's superior qualifications were.
"We have nothing against Mr. Goodman," Aubri Jacquez said. "We just didn't feel this was handled fairly. We were hoping that by submitting questions that not only players, but also parents had concerns about that, the board might table the issue for more discussion and investigate some of these concerns."
Kartchner said the thing to remember is that hiring Goodman was not an easy decision, and the board does recognize the contributions Jacquez has made to the school.
"I am confident in the process and believe the committee had no other alternative than to do what's best for the boys and the baseball program," she said. "I do not feel in any way the candidate had been predetermined, and it was fair."
There are a lot of similarities between Goodman's and Jacquez's resumes with slight differences, such as Goodman's spending most of his time in baseball, while Jacquez coaches a variety of sports programs.
"Baseball is my passion," Goodman said in his resume. "I coach no other sports other than helping athletes in the weight room all year. I continue to further my knowledge of the game by attending coaching clinics from year to year. In 2005 I was honored and named the Arizona Coaches Association 1A-3A All Star Game Dedicatee for continued work and dedication in promoting baseball."
Goodman also listed he was a scout for the Texas Rangers baseball team in 2001-02.
Judd said she is disgusted with the board's actions. Judd said she herself does not have children attending the St. David School District, but she has plenty of family members attending and she does pay taxes.
Last year, Jacquez applied for the head football coach position after Bary Judd retired. Jacquez, who had been the assistant coach since 1999, did not get the job, which went to Ovean Moore.
Judd said while they hold nothing against Moore, who had done a great job improving the football program, they are still not happy that Jacquez continues to be passed over.
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