Post by Bin Over on Aug 16, 2007 16:41:08 GMT -6
Wake up Laurens!
I am J. R. Boyd, the former head football coach and athletic director
At Laurens district 55 High School. I will express my concerns about the high
School in Laurens 55 District in the information to follow: I was the head football coach at Laurens for two seasons and was brought into the principal’s office the 6th games of the second season. The principal said that there was concern from the district office that there was not enough competition at he quarterback position. I asked who was making the complaint and he said that this was coming from the superintendent and a school board member. I stated that I could show stats from this point of the season to those in the past. He stated he just wanted to bring it to my attention. I then stated that I have not seen anyone at practice to see how much competition was going on at that position on
the field. I also stated that I was doing what I felt would put us in the best position on the
field. I also stated that I was doing what I felt would put us in the best position to win football games. I knew from this point that I was not backed by the administration of Laurens District 55.
Having no intentions of leaving my previous job, Laurens heavily and repeatedly
recruited me to this high school. We won 3 state championships in a row with good prospect of a fourth. I sacrificed and uprooted my family for Laurens District 55. At
this time in my career and with my record I should never have been questioned in the first placed. The people that hired me did their homework and knew my philosophies,
work ethics and expectations of my staff and players. When you hire a man to do a job, especially with my reputation, back him up and support him. Don’t try to tell him how to do his job. Don’t question his abilities - my record stands for itself. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Given only two seasons to turn a program around is completely impossible. We were making strides, going to playoffs both seasons, being beaten out both years by the State Champions.
In early December I went to the district office to see that my current status was, and was told it didn’t look favorable. The superintendent told me that I was going to be called in the following week for an evaluation and there was concern in the community of my ability to coach. I was also told that I could be possible placed elsewhere in the district.
There are a number of concerns that the citizens of Laurens should be aware of at this time. Did you know that a student of Laurens High has 104 opportunities to get out of class, check your child’s agenda book. There are kids in the halls all during the day at Laurens High. We only have 180 days each school year for students, so approximately 58% of the time students can get out of their class through the use of their agenda book. At one of my previous schools this was only 4 times each semester. You do the math. We have a number of coaches leaving Laurens High because they were told one thing by the administration and something else would occur that would pass them over. There are a number of coaches staying that have been sifted around to fit the needs of the current staff One of these coaches has been employed by the Laurens District for 22 years, this is not right. One coach that applied for the A.D. position was told in January that the position had been filled and was later told to disregard the letter and keep the letter quite.
Someone other than the coach who received the letter filled the position in the month of March. A former basketball coach was forced to resign just because of his style of offense. This coach is a great worker and coach, but he was not liked by a certain group in the community and was forced to resign. He was also very successful in his first season at his current school, winning more basketball games this year than they won in the past. Another situation that I had to deal with was attendance at basketball games where current board members wanted to get 8 people in on his school board pass. The card states board member and a family member. I was told this situation would be dealt with at the next board meeting.
There are some great people in the Laurens community who stand up and support the young people of Laurens. I wish them the best and praised them for their help and determination. The parents and students who helped get the Fellowship of Christian Athletes off the ground were tremendous help in getting the student body headed in the right direction .We grew from an average of 6 to 75 students every Thursday morning at Whiteford’s restaurant in Laurens. I wish you the best in each and everything that you do. The officers of the FCA were the best that a sponsor could ask for, thanks guys.
God was doing great things there at Laurens District 55. Students are being held at a higher standard, learning to respect each other, knowing they had to EARN their way and not GIVEN it because who their parents are, or which parent could create the most noise. Your children deserve better. They deserve a better chance to make it in the “real world” where they WILL beheld accountable. Doing the ”right” thing is not always “easy” thing to do. Stand up, Laurens. Do the right thing. We need strong leadership in this community to stand up for those doing right by our children and backbone enough to stand against those without the best interest of our students in mind.
In closing, I felt that I did what was right and I followed the path that God gave me .In 2 Timothy1:7, God speaks of fear, He is our alarm system not man. I followed His path and continue going forward for Him. I place a great faith in Christ and choose to follow what He has laid out for me in the future.
Sincerely,
J.R. Boyd
Former LDHS
Head Football Coach
Lama, SC
from the Laurens County Advertiser paper
I am J. R. Boyd, the former head football coach and athletic director
At Laurens district 55 High School. I will express my concerns about the high
School in Laurens 55 District in the information to follow: I was the head football coach at Laurens for two seasons and was brought into the principal’s office the 6th games of the second season. The principal said that there was concern from the district office that there was not enough competition at he quarterback position. I asked who was making the complaint and he said that this was coming from the superintendent and a school board member. I stated that I could show stats from this point of the season to those in the past. He stated he just wanted to bring it to my attention. I then stated that I have not seen anyone at practice to see how much competition was going on at that position on
the field. I also stated that I was doing what I felt would put us in the best position on the
field. I also stated that I was doing what I felt would put us in the best position to win football games. I knew from this point that I was not backed by the administration of Laurens District 55.
Having no intentions of leaving my previous job, Laurens heavily and repeatedly
recruited me to this high school. We won 3 state championships in a row with good prospect of a fourth. I sacrificed and uprooted my family for Laurens District 55. At
this time in my career and with my record I should never have been questioned in the first placed. The people that hired me did their homework and knew my philosophies,
work ethics and expectations of my staff and players. When you hire a man to do a job, especially with my reputation, back him up and support him. Don’t try to tell him how to do his job. Don’t question his abilities - my record stands for itself. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Given only two seasons to turn a program around is completely impossible. We were making strides, going to playoffs both seasons, being beaten out both years by the State Champions.
In early December I went to the district office to see that my current status was, and was told it didn’t look favorable. The superintendent told me that I was going to be called in the following week for an evaluation and there was concern in the community of my ability to coach. I was also told that I could be possible placed elsewhere in the district.
There are a number of concerns that the citizens of Laurens should be aware of at this time. Did you know that a student of Laurens High has 104 opportunities to get out of class, check your child’s agenda book. There are kids in the halls all during the day at Laurens High. We only have 180 days each school year for students, so approximately 58% of the time students can get out of their class through the use of their agenda book. At one of my previous schools this was only 4 times each semester. You do the math. We have a number of coaches leaving Laurens High because they were told one thing by the administration and something else would occur that would pass them over. There are a number of coaches staying that have been sifted around to fit the needs of the current staff One of these coaches has been employed by the Laurens District for 22 years, this is not right. One coach that applied for the A.D. position was told in January that the position had been filled and was later told to disregard the letter and keep the letter quite.
Someone other than the coach who received the letter filled the position in the month of March. A former basketball coach was forced to resign just because of his style of offense. This coach is a great worker and coach, but he was not liked by a certain group in the community and was forced to resign. He was also very successful in his first season at his current school, winning more basketball games this year than they won in the past. Another situation that I had to deal with was attendance at basketball games where current board members wanted to get 8 people in on his school board pass. The card states board member and a family member. I was told this situation would be dealt with at the next board meeting.
There are some great people in the Laurens community who stand up and support the young people of Laurens. I wish them the best and praised them for their help and determination. The parents and students who helped get the Fellowship of Christian Athletes off the ground were tremendous help in getting the student body headed in the right direction .We grew from an average of 6 to 75 students every Thursday morning at Whiteford’s restaurant in Laurens. I wish you the best in each and everything that you do. The officers of the FCA were the best that a sponsor could ask for, thanks guys.
God was doing great things there at Laurens District 55. Students are being held at a higher standard, learning to respect each other, knowing they had to EARN their way and not GIVEN it because who their parents are, or which parent could create the most noise. Your children deserve better. They deserve a better chance to make it in the “real world” where they WILL beheld accountable. Doing the ”right” thing is not always “easy” thing to do. Stand up, Laurens. Do the right thing. We need strong leadership in this community to stand up for those doing right by our children and backbone enough to stand against those without the best interest of our students in mind.
In closing, I felt that I did what was right and I followed the path that God gave me .In 2 Timothy1:7, God speaks of fear, He is our alarm system not man. I followed His path and continue going forward for Him. I place a great faith in Christ and choose to follow what He has laid out for me in the future.
Sincerely,
J.R. Boyd
Former LDHS
Head Football Coach
Lama, SC
from the Laurens County Advertiser paper
