Texas Coach Claims he was Fired for not Playing Principal’s Son

A Texas high school basketball coach was fired for resisting pressure to play the principal’s son illegally, he claims in a whistleblower lawsuit.

Stanford Hill sued the Dallas Independent School District and Skyline High School principal Harold Wright in Dallas County Court on Wednesday morning. Hill coached the varsity men’s basketball team at Skyline from the 2009-2010 season to 2012-2013 season, reaching the playoffs each year. Wright’s son enrolled at Skyline during the 2010-2011 season.

“Mr. Wright consistently pressured Coach Hill to play Wright’s son over more deserving players, the complaint states. As a consequence of Coach Hill’s refusal to conspire with Wright to favor Wright’s son at the expense of other players, Coach Hill was relieved of his coaching responsibilities and was transferred to a school that does not have a basketball program.”

In September 2013, Hill told ABC News affiliate WFAA that Wright and his wife were the only parents to text him regarding their son’s playing time. Hill said that after he filed a grievance for his termination, he was shocked to learn Wright would be his hearing examiner. Hill said the texts were not considered at all during the grievance process.

“I felt like I had to go out and meet with his wife because he’s the principal, and I felt like if I didn’t go out and meet with his wife at that particular time then I would probably lose my job the next day, Hill told WFAA.

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Texas Coach Claims he was Fired for not Playing Principal’s Son

From Courthouse News

A Texas high school basketball coach was fired for resisting pressure to play the principal’s son illegally, he claims in a whistleblower lawsuit.

Stanford Hill sued the Dallas Independent School District and Skyline High School principal Harold Wright in Dallas County Court on Wednesday morning. Hill coached the varsity men’s basketball team at Skyline from the 2009-2010 season to 2012-2013 season, reaching the playoffs each year. Wright’s son enrolled at Skyline during the 2010-2011 season.

“Mr. Wright consistently pressured Coach Hill to play Wright’s son over more deserving players, the complaint states. As a consequence of Coach Hill’s refusal to conspire with Wright to favor Wright’s son at the expense of other players, Coach Hill was relieved of his coaching responsibilities and was transferred to a school that does not have a basketball program.”

In September 2013, Hill told ABC News affiliate WFAA that Wright and his wife were the only parents to text him regarding their son’s playing time. Hill said that after he filed a grievance for his termination, he was shocked to learn Wright would be his hearing examiner. Hill said the texts were not considered at all during the grievance process.

“I felt like I had to go out and meet with his wife because he’s the principal, and I felt like if I didn’t go out and meet with his wife at that particular time then I would probably lose my job the next day, ” Hill told WFAA.

Click here to read the full story.