[Granny Bear]

This was posted by Gary Ball, one of the board members.

To my constituents: I Looked forward to a relaxing vacation, but I should have realized something I've realized for some time, but hoping things on the Martin County Board of Education would get better. It's abundantly clear they haven't. To me it's obvious SCHS coach Shawn Hager was unjustly fired due to his wife and players' parents' concerns over a serious public health threat at the dressing room facilities at Cardinal Stadium. I believe county schools superintendent Steve Meadows went to see Hager today for no other reason than an attempt to provoke coach Hager into losing his cool. Hager and I have had our differences, but what I was told today -- that Hager made a threatening gesture or something to that effect toward Meadows has no merit. Coach Hager simply wouldn't do that. I know him that well. In the near 20 years he has been here, he has never given a hint of this type behavior. I believe Meadows lost it after seeing photos of backed up sh-- posted on Facebook and went to the high school to confront Hager and lost his cool with Hager, since Hager's wife and parents were complaining to the board. The photos were damning and I believe Meadows was angry with Hager, thinking probably Hager either allowed or put this board member up to taking these photos. Donetta Harless took the photos and is to be commended for doing so. It revealed to the public that conditions there were as bad as reported by parents. I believe coach Hager's right to due process in this firing was non existent. His firing as coach and three-day suspension as teacher are not warranted. Meadows lost his head, got angry acted without thinking or seeking legal counsel -- going so far as to demand that the Kentucky State police be called and he wanted Hager led from the school building in handcuffs. I agree someone needs to be fired ... and it isn't Shawn Hager. Part of my duty as a board member is to help shield the district from liability. This incident with coach Hager has lawsuit written all over it!

I saw an interview on WYMT with Ms. Harless.

I happen to admire her along with the Coach for having enough guts to stand up and support the kids in this kind of situation. There is NO excuse for it.

You guys know how much I love mountain football, but I gotta wonder if the politics are this horrendous at other school systems. I'm not singling out Martin County, I'm talking about the high schools in the Appalachian Mountains. It's truly a shame.