The truth about the Canton school board's indefensible decision to fire McKinley football coach Marcus Wattley and his staff over false accusations that they forced a player to eat pork against his religion "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes." Black Israelites, who are most nationalistic and furthest from traditional Judaism. My job is in the courtroom, not the press room.. An attorney representing Marcus Wattley told 3News Investigates that there's more to this story that hasn't been told. They needed to show him what it was like to be the only man eating in a room full of hungry, working men. And then we walk out into the auxiliary gym and theres a pizza in the chair, and I think coach I think Coach Brodie handed me the pizza and I set it down. In the trial that was to start Monday, Stark County Common Pleas Judge Natalie Haupt had dismissed Canton City Schools Superintendent Jeff Talbert and board members John J.R. Rinaldi, Scott Russ, Kim Brown, David Kaminski and Eric Resnick from the case. Other lawsuits filedEx-McKinley football player sues, alleges coaches coerced him to eat pizza against beliefs. CNN Seven of eight Ohio high school football coaches who allegedly forced a Hebrew Israelite player to eat a pizza that previously had pork on it, despite knowing his beliefs forbade him. Canton McKinley High School football coach Marcus Wattley. Are you hungry? 3. Calling Wattley a "rising star,"Pattakos said Wattley is heartbroken to be away from his team but he believes he did nothing wrong. "Caserio was a standout," said Kuberacki. Disciplinary hearings for assistant coaches Joshua Grimsley and Zachary Sweat, both of whom are school resource assistants, are scheduled over the next week. He said coach Brodie told him to take off the pepperoni. Nobody wins in this.. Attorney Kathryn Perrico, who is representing the Canton City school leaders, responded to Pattakos' statement by saying, "The district maintains that the rulings issued by the court were sound and well-reasoned, and declines to respond to the self-serving and inaccurate statements presented by Peter Pattakos. Dominique Sanders' squad had something to itself and 13th-seeded Canton McKinley. CANTON, Ohio (WJW) The Canton City School District Board of Education held a special meeting Thursday evening to discuss further discipline for a group of football coaches. Disciplinary hearings for assistant coaches Joshua Grimsley and Zachary Sweat, both of whom are school resource assistants, are scheduled over the next week. He was offered chicken (nuggets) and (told), You can sit here and eat. Pattakos said the punishment was not merely for missing a single voluntary workout. The attorney for that Canton McKinley football player made wild accusations of anti-Semitism that caused these coaches to be terminated, lose their jobs and be smeared in the local,. 2022 Canton McKinley Football (6-6) Coach: Antonio Hall. As of Monday, both investigations were ongoing. You're the king, you're the prince.' He said hes asked God for forgiveness for eating the pork residue. CANTON, Ohio The lawyer for a Canton McKinley High School football player has released video that he says contradicts claims that the student was not forced to consume a pepperoni pizza. Canton family's faith at the center of McKinley High football coach abuse allegations, Head football coach Marcus Wattley, six others dismissed for misconduct. Meanwhile,there is still pending litigation in the case the coaches filed against the player, his family, and Canton City Schools. I just dont understand why after I said I dont eat pork, they didnt take it (the pepperoni pizza) away. June 4, 2021 A high school football coach in Canton, Ohio, and six assistant coaches will not have their athletic contracts renewed, officials said, after an allegation was made that a. ', Greece's worst-ever rail crash kills dozens, crushes cars, Dust storm turns skies across Texas orange causing low visibility conditions for drivers, What to know about OHSAA district wrestling: Area wrestlers heading to four sites. The player, whom the Repository has agreed to not identify,has been devastated by the situation and continues to undergo psychological counseling, the attorney said. CANTON, Ohio The head football coach at an Ohio high school and six other coaches there have been ousted after a football player said he was . We have a number of careers that have been destroyed here. "This report is under investigation, in accordance with our district policies," Canton City Schools told 3News. "The Raiders have a lot of the pieces they need to be a great team, starting with the quarterback. McKinley football player Mani Powell said he wants his coaches back. 13 Canton McKinley (11-12) at No. He disputed Pattakos' statement that Wattley had offered the player chicken nuggets or any alternative food. Head coach: Paul Brown. By The Associated Press. After meeting for more than an hour in executive session, the board of education unanimously voted to terminate Wattley's contract, along with the following other coaches: Wattley and the remaining six coaches were originally on administrative leave following an accusation that they forced a student to eat pepperoni pizza after he showed up late to a non-mandatory practice on May 24. Allegations that the court says "lumped all the former coaches together without distinguishing the allegations against each individual. He wasnt forced to eat pork. He said he has lost respect for the McKinley coaches he once admired. Gilberts attorney, Stephen P. Griffin, declined comment. Following the hearings, the superintendent is expected to make a recommendation to the Canton City school board regarding their employment outside of their coaching positions, according to Canton City Schools spokeswoman Lisa Reicosky. Gilbert said the player told the coach at least 10 times that he did not eat pork because he and his family are Hebrew Israelites, a faith thatstrictly forbids the consumption of pork or pork residue. The player testified he knew consequences existed for missing off-season workouts, which he said the coaches called mandatory. "Black Hebrew Israelites consider themselves Jews; I also consider them to be a Black religionbearing many of the markers of African American spirituality," she said. Ben McDaniels (born June 6, 1980) is an American football coach who is the Wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). The weekly sessions are now monthly check-ins. The district has sent its investigation to the Ohio Department of Education's professional conduct division andthe Canton City Police Department for review. Example video title will go here for this video. misguided attempt to instill discipline, Canton McKinley High School football coaches to face further discipline, possible criminal charges, suspended on May 26 with the other coaches, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. School board president John "J.R." Rinaldi said Hall will continue to serve as the district's athletic director and will work with the district's administrative team to build his football staff. As we approach trial, any attempt to taint a jury pool is truly not a practice I would ever engage. He said he began seeing a counselor in June 2021 and has made progress. Religion historianJames Tinney classified Hebrew Israelites intothree basic groups: According to Gospel Coalition,many if not most Hebrew Israelite groupsreject the Trinity and Christ's divinity, two central tenets of traditional Christianity. ", SUBSCRIBE:Get the day's top headlines sent to your inbox each weekday morning with the free 3News to GO! The player said coach McLeod had been sitting in a chair beside him eating a piece of the pizza. The former Canton McKinley football coaches who have been waiting for more than a year for a chance to clear their names in court have decided to wait a while longer. Learning what he learned from his first time, applying all the knowledge he's gained since then, it's just the perfect equation for success.". Superintendent Jeff Talbert said surveillance video gave administrators the information they needed to warrant their recommendation to dismiss the coaches to the school board. He has been on staff, mostly as offensive coordinator, for all nine of Bill Belichick's New England Super Bowls. All rights reserved. The Ohio Department of Educations professional conduct division also is reviewing whether the coaches should retain their educational and coaching licenses. Im in disbelief that Im basically accused of harming a kid when Ive done nothing but take care of kids in this community, said McLeod, a 1996 McKinley graduate who was an all-Ohio linebacker for McKinley. All rights reserved. CANTON, Ohio Eight coaches from the Canton McKinley High School football team have been placed on administrative leave, including head coach Marcus Wattley. We begged Canton City School District officials to slow their rushed and flawed investigation to account for the truth but they wouldnt listen. Poll: Head football coach Marcus Wattley, six others dismissed for misconduct. McKinley went 14-6 in Wattley's two seasons as head coach, with a couple of second-round playoff losses and an 0-2 record against rival Massillon. Note: This video has been altered to protect kids' identities. Theyve run plenty of sprints. The lawsuit filed by the Hebrew Israelite players family alleged that on May 24, 2021 the coaches forced him to eat a pepperoni pizza after he missed a voluntary practice session. I think I said, Im sorry for missing practice and I wont let it happen again or something across those lines, the player testified. He was doing his best to teach an extraordinary athlete an important lesson., After the boards vote, Pattakos yelled to the superintendent and the board, This was a bad decision. The student, now 18, filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Akron in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, against the Canton City School District and his former coaches. They needed to get through to him some other way. Example video title will go here for this video. A federal judge filed an order Thursday to dismiss the seven former football coaches from a lawsuit claiming they forced the player to eat pork against his religion. Hall, who is coming up on the one-year anniversary of his hire as McKinleys athletic director, playedon McKinleys 1997 and 1998 state championshipteams. A district investigation found the charges against the coaches to be true, and Superintendent Jeff Talbert called their actions "inappropriate, demeaning, and divisive." "Josh knew how to play defensive back," Miller said. Traffic alert: Crash closes 224 West at Kenmore Leg in Summit County, Fan Expo Cleveland to feature 'The Office' cast, Christina Ricci and more as celebrity guests this March, FORECAST | Another surge in temps with highs topping 60 degrees, 3 skyscraper-sized asteroids making approach to Earth this week, Marcus Wattley and six of his assistant coaches were fired by Canton City Schools, Canton McKinley student allegedly forced to eat pepperoni pizza files a lawsuit against Canton City Schools in U.S. District Court, Attorney: Fired Canton McKinley head football coach Marcus Wattley never forced player to eat pork, Canton McKinley football coaches fired for pizza incident file defamation suit, Canton McKinley football coach Marcus Wattley, 6 assistants fired following misconduct investigation. So then after theyre still not listening to me, the teams still around me doing the punishment, so I just eat the pizza, the player testified. MEDINA, Ohio - Solon and Midview both picked up big wins in the OHSAA Division I regional semifinals at Medina High School on Tuesday night. Attorney Ed Gilbert, who is representing the 17-year-old football player and his family, said Thursday that he agrees with the school board's decision to dismiss the coaches, but added, There is no joy in seeing this. We will continue to make every reasonable effort to ensure that justice is served in this case.. Assistant coach Badre ElBardawil, who also had beensuspended on May 26 with the other coaches, remains an assistant coach with McKinley because district officials said the evidence did not show that he performed in the same manner as the other coaches.. 0:36. Pattakos said he believesthe assistant coach wanted Wattleys job. Attorney Pattakos released the following statement on behalf of Marcus Wattley late Thursday night: "We asked the district to postpone their decision for at least one more week to allow for this matter to be fully and fairly investigated, including upon full consideration of the testimony of the numerous Canton McKinley football players who witnessed this event and were at tonight's board meeting wanting to tell anyone who would listen that the story being advanced by the alleged victim's father and attorney is not true. The deposition, where the player testified under oath, was conducted as part of the defamation lawsuit that the coaches filed a year ago against the player, the players father, Kenny Walker, their attorney Edward Gilbert and former assistant coach Josh Grimsley. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The Canton City School Board held a special meeting Thursday evening to discuss the incident that occurred . On 10/28, the McKinley varsity football team won their home playoff game against GlenOak (Canton, OH) by a score of 40-22. McKinley went 14-6 in Wattleys two seasons as head coach, with a couple of second-round playoff losses and an 0-2 record against rival Massillon. Pattakos intends to refile the lawsuit as soon as is practicable. In a statement, he said the goal of the new lawsuit is to hold the school district leaders accountable for the harm they caused the coaches when they failed to fully investigate the accusations, did not inform the public truthfully and did not treat all involved parties fairly. No Bulldogs coachs tenure has spanned more than five years since Thom McDaniels guided the program from 1982-1997. McKinley's Harold Fannin Jr. runs after a catch against GlenOak at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. McLeods disciplinary hearing with school officials over his job as a safety and security liaison was held earlier Monday. Gilbert has said the family has agreed to meet with district officials before pursuing a lawsuit. Talbert said it was the surveillance video that gave him the information he needed to make his recommendation to fire Wattley and his assistants. The player said McLeod didnt react and continued to eat the pizza next to him. I love them, they know that. One of the state's most successful coaches . "The football program, which has a long and proud history, is an important part of our school culture and our community," Talbert added in a statement that was read by Board President John M. Rinaldi Thursday. Jack Rose, who coached against McDaniels at Massillon in the '90s, is betting on him now. Claim your team to manage the roster, schedule, scores, stats and more. Its unclear from the players testimony whether the other coaches heard the player talking about his religion. Canton McKinley Bulldogs. All rights reserved. Wattley, through his attorney Peter Pattakos, saidthe accusations that thecoaches forced a 17-year-old player to eat an entire pepperoni pizza against his Hebrew Israelite religious beliefs for missing a voluntary May 20 strengthening and conditioning workoutarefalse and exaggerated. McKinley Football Staff Players (57) Staff (1) Antonio Hall Head Coach Are you the coach? Invite the coach The sprints werent working, Pattakos said. Former McKinley football coaches dismiss defamation lawsuit, intend to refile Kelli Weir The Repository 0:00 0:57 The former Canton McKinley football coaches who have been waiting for. See below to read the full 10-page ruling from Judge Adams: Copyright 2022 WOIO. I miss my boys. Canton McKinley High School Head Football Coach Marcus Wattley and five assistant coaches are suing Canton City school officials and others for spreading "false, malicious and extremely defamatory statements" that cost them their jobs and their reputations. Before the pizza incident happened, I respected them and had love for them for what theyve done for me throughout the years, he said, citing the times they would drive him to practice and appointments and helped him get his knee surgery. A 17-year-old Canton McKinley High School football player is a starting tackle for a big-name football program, but he said he's been left scarred by an incident in which his coaches forced him to eat pepperoni pizza as punishment for missing a practice, despite knowing he doesn't eat pork for religious reasons. The Pattakos Law Firm, which represents the former coaches, released a statement after the ruling that said, in part: From the moment these absurd and sensational accusations first went public there were numerous eyewitnesses, including the alleged victims teammates, who were jumping out of their shoes to confirm that the accusations were false. The Bulldogs went 9-3 in Wattley's first year,. Four young men in this program have been shot in this last calendar year alone, Pattakos said. December 4, 2004 (at Canton Fawcett Stadium) Canton McKinley 3 7 0 0 10 (11-4) Cincinnati Colerain 6 17 20 7 50 (15-0) Coaches: Brian Cross (Canton McKinley); Kerry Coombs (Cincinnati Colerain) Attendance (unofficial): 16,885. Editors Note: Below is a previous report by 19 News about the lawsuit. A roughly two-hour disciplinary hearing was held Monday with Canton City school officials about whether Wattley should retain his job as a district academic and athletic liaison. Attorney Stephen Griffin, who represents Gilbert in the coaches defamation lawsuit, declined to respond to Pattakos online post. I wasnt taking it, so then he just sat it down right beside me again. Gilbert said the family has delayed filing its lawsuit because the district has asked to mediate the dispute out of court.