Reduced Funding Forces Staff Changes, Parents Angered

Parents in the Gateway School District voiced their anger over the decision to force out the district’s athletic director and head football coach at a meeting Wednesday night.

In June, the school board reduced Terry Smith’s position as athletic director from full-to part-time. As result, Smith had to give up his job as head coach and had his salary cut in half.

The school board president said the decision was based on reduced funding by state government.

“They [cuts] sometimes result in increased classroom sizes. We have to close sections of particular course off, so that limits the offerings that our student have. It sometimes results in layoffs,” school board president Steve O’Donnell said.

Smith’s teams made the playoffs in each of his 11 seasons as head coach. Since his job was cut, Smith has accepted a job as an assistant coach with Temple University.