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Published on 09/18/1995 All articles from this issue

District affirms decision not to employ coach, looks at policy

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

After seven years of coaching varsity baseball at Los Altos High School, Bob Bowers won't be there in the dugout next spring.

The board of trustees of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District announced to the 25 visitors at their Sept. 11 board meeting that the board supported the decision not to renew Bowers' contract.

But the board also instructed district personnel to review the evaluation process for coaches, as well as for all extra-curricular staff.

"We asked the administration to look at the process they currently follow and report back. To look at written policies, if any, and see if any changes need to be made," said board vice president Rick Bell.

The board took these actions in response to complaints made at the Aug. 28 board meeting by Bowers' attorney, Gloria Dralla. She asked that Bowers be reinstated immediately.

"The coach's personnel file is devoid of any criticism of his conduct," she wrote to the board. She added the district has "no meaningful criteria" for evaluating coaches.

Bell admitted there was no written evaluation of the coach this year. But "I don't think it's necessary in all cases," he said. "The key is in making the evaluation. David (Brazer) made an evaluation and a decision."

On July 3, after a month of listening to input from parents, Los Altos High School principal David Brazer informed Bowers by letter that his contract would not be renewed.

The action precipitated a storm of reaction.

Some parents said they liked the job Bowers had done and thought Bowers had been treated unfairly. Many vented their outrage at Brazer.

"We see this as a long-standing tension in the baseball community and not as a crisis in confidence regarding David (Brazer)," said Superintendent Don Phillips.

Others supported the decision because they wanted a change in the baseball program which has had losing seasons throughout the years Bowers coached, because Bowers declined help from assistant coaches, and because Bowers chews tobacco and the district has a tobacco-free policy.

Dralla said her client was unavailable for comment. Bowers did not return the Town Crier's phone calls.

"There's an intensity there, a division among the parents," Phillips said.

At a Tuesday meeting of his administrative council which consists of the two high school principals and the senior district staff, Phillips began the process of looking at and developing evaluation criteria.

"I think it's time we do look at the way we evaluate coaches and extra-curricular staff," Brazer said.

Phillips said the committee plans to talk to booster groups, to coaches, to parents, and to students during the school year.

"We're listening to all sides," Phillips said. "We want to air all issues. We will be organizing some forums focusing on those issues, one of which is the evaluation question."