Thousands of supporters are rallying behind two basketball coaches, Randy McClure and James Gwyn, who a petition suggests were wrongfully terminated from their coaching and teaching contracts at Campbell High School in Cobb County.
The petition, launched by the Spartan Family, seeks to reinstate the two basketball coaches who were dismissed following a March 11 allotment meeting with the school’s principal, Vanessa Watkins, and athletic director, James Thigpen. The two longtime coaches were allegedly terminated from their positions without warning. “The abrupt manner in which Coach Gwyn and Coach McClure were dismissed mirrors the treatment one might expect of an adversary
rather than two esteemed coaches,” the petition states. “With only a tenuous justification based on allotment, they were denied the professional dignity of either resigning on their own terms or returning to the classroom full-time.”“The callous removal of these dedicated, decorated, and servant leaders is a loss of over 71 years of service for this community,” the petition states. The Spartan family is heartbroken at the decision and claims the abrupt dismissal not only robbed the coaches of the opportunity to personally inform their coaching staff, athletes, parents, or the community but robbed Spartans of the chance to celebrate McClure’s and Gwyn’s achievements.
Coach McClure has taught at Campbell High for over 3 decades and served over 20 years as the school’s Science Department Chair. In his time at Campbell High, he was recognized three times as Teacher of the Year. Coach Gwyn has been with the school for over a decade as Summer School Site Principal for eight years and Business Department Chair for four. Gwyn told Fox 5 Atlanta that he started at the school when he was 23 years old. Now, at 62 years old, he is out of his job and no longer a member of the Campbell High faculty.
Together, the esteemed basketball coaches boast a combined 1,200 career wins, 16 region titles, and several state tournament appearances.
A spokesperson for the Cobb County School District said, “The District could not be prouder of Coach Gwyn and Coach McClure and all they have accomplished over their 30-plus-year careers. Simply put, Coaches Gwyn and McClure are two of the best coaches in Georgia high school sports history. We have had a front-row seat to two of the best to ever do it and hold ourselves to a higher standard than the manner in which they were released.”
The reason behind the coaches being ousted was not disclosed. The Spartans are requesting a full investigation by Cobb County and urge supporters to sign the petition and voice their concerns to the Cobb County School Board and Campbell High School administration.
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