California football coach seeks $7.5M in damages against school district

A California high school football coach and school administrator has filed a claim against the Covina-Valley Unified School District that seeks damages over $7.5 million for multiple civil rights and labor violations, according to his attorney.

Kevin Glaspy was reinstated last month as a teacher by the district and cleared to begin coaching football again after the district concluded an investigation into his handling of an all-star football game that was held at a district field.

His attorney, Richard A. Apodaca, released a statement earlier this week that claims Glaspy has recently been subjected to harassment by the district.

A recent story from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune detailed the events that led to this point. Below is an excerpt from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune story.

According to Apodaca, not long after Aug. 14, Glaspy was subjected to harassment by the district.

“(On Sept. 4) … Superintendent (Dr. Elizabeth Eminhizer), through her staff, issued what we believe is a retaliatory and/or unlawful written warning against Mr. Glaspy for ‘unprofessionalism’ regarding a third-party event. It should be noted, there were multiple versions of this written warning, factual errors and omissions, and other directives which appear intended to harass Mr. Glaspy.

“In response, Mr. Glaspy submitted a claim for money damages to Covina-Valley Unified School District. The claim asserts damages in an excess of $7.5 million, for various Civil Rights and Labor Code violations (among others). The School District has 45 days to respond.”

Glaspy filed a “uniform complaint” on May 31 to the district that alleges the district and Eminhizer subjected Glaspy to “whistleblower retaliation, discrimination, and other unfair treatment.”

Apodaca’s statement in August said Glaspy was seeking “justice and holding those individuals responsible for retaliating and treating him unfairly or unequally, under California law.”

Eminhizer and Covina principal Dr. Daisy Carrasco have not responded to requests from the Southern California News Group for comment on the situation.

Glaspy was removed as Covina’s athletic director, football coach and track and field coach in January and placed on administrative leave while the district conducted an investigation into issues related to the all-star football game.

After Glaspy was reinstated by the district as a teacher in August, the school allowed him to be an assistant coach for the football team.

Glaspy has spent more than three decades at the school. He has been on Covina’s football staff for 33 years, mostly as an assistant coach. Last season was his first as the team’s head coach.

After Glaspy was placed on leave, the school tabbed assistant coach Joe Brown as head coach for the football team and boys’ athletic director, and Jessica Argelander was named girls’ athletic director. Those were positions that had been held by Glaspy, in addition to being the head coach for track and field, at the time he was placed on leave.

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The district’s investigation appeared to probe the distribution of proceeds collected at the SGV Bowl, as well as some of the events that took place during the contest.

Covina District Field is shared by three high schools, Covina, Northview and South Hills, and all three football programs were involved to some level with hosting the January all-star game.

To read the full story from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune about the California football coach, click here.