Supporters of Fired Coach Challenge Board at Heated Meeting

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
RICHFIELD SPRINGS

Tensions were bubbling at a Richfield Springs Central School District Board of Education meeting last Wednesday, May 6. Supporters of coach Chris Butler showed up in force to oppose the district’s decisions to remove him from coaching roles, first as a volunteer assistant softball coach and now also as a modified baseball coach. District officials declined to specify the reason for his termination, citing personnel issue confidentiality.

AllOtsego was not able to independently verify the circumstances leading to the end of Butler’s coaching for the district.

“We stand here tonight angry, disappointed and demanding answers,” Toni Butler said into the microphone, husband Chris Butler sitting feet away.
Around a dozen people wearing matching T-shirts supporting the 40-plus-year coach sat in the rows behind him.

“You may avoid questions tonight, but you cannot avoid the loss of trust your silence has created and the division of the community as a whole,” Toni Butler said, demanding an explanation for the decisions.

The saga has been escalating for more than a month, playing out online, at board meetings and on the field. Many relationships have been strained in the small community, and law enforcement has at times been involved to mediate and prevent disputes.

“As an administrator, if I were to evaluate Mr. Butler, I would rate him highly effective,” said former dean of students, teacher and coach F.J. Wadnola. “I am also here to respectfully advocate for a fair and thorough process as any concerns and allegations are reviewed.”

Supporters alleged that a player award decision and parents’ complaints, including false allegations, were part of the reason for Chris Butler being let go. Other allegations included favoritism, nepotism and that he had been criticized for “embarrassing” a player in comments about their performance. Tying supporters together was a demand for the district to provide an explanation for the decisions, potentially in school board executive session just to Butler himself.

Responding to public commenters’ demands to receive an explanation, School Board President Nancy Duevel said, “I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’m sorry, under the law, we cannot discuss matters which are intended—which the law says we must keep confidential.”

“Much of what is being claimed by the public is not accurate,” Superintendent Tom Piatti said in an interview after the meeting. “And unfortunately, I’m not able to publicly respond to that,” he said, citing legal confidentiality on personnel matters.

Piatti did say Butler had not been accused of harming students and was “absolutely not” accused of sexual harassment when asked.

Chris Butler, who until early last week remained a coach for the district’s modified baseball team, said in an interview that he was given a couple of “silly” reasons for being let go from that role. It “had to do with canceling the practice” and “supposedly being on a GoPro swearing at the new coaches. And that’s not my nature. It’s not my nature. I’m not that guy.”

Some alleged during public comment that another coach engaged in an altercation with Butler earlier that week.

“I got confronted when I walked through the door Monday [May 4], and I went upstairs to find somebody, some administration. There was nobody here,” Butler told AllOtsego, adding that he chose to call state troopers to address the situation. He declined to say who the other coach was.

Toni Butler alleged in an interview that the other coach was angry because Chris Butler had wiped a tear from his wife’s face. Police “talked to both parties, and next thing we know, Chris gets done the next day. They fired him the next day for that.”

The controversy has created a sharp divide in the community drawn on the decades of relationships Butler, a graduate of the district himself, has held. Community members’ outrage has been visible both in Facebook comments and the frequent disruptions in the school board meeting.

“Hm, really?” one person interjected in an unrelated reelection speech from current board member Brad Smith when he said he makes “my own decision based on the facts.” Also during public comment, one person approached district officials with large poster boards bearing messages in support of Butler, at times holding the boards inches from officials’ faces.

“As you could see by the behavior in this board meeting,” Piatti told AllOtsego, “we have people that are scared, and therefore we’ve increased security for the safety and well-being of the people on this campus.”

Law enforcement was present at a recent softball game. Some of Butler’s supporters were angered by what they described as district staff being strategically positioned near fans at the game.

As supporters left the meeting unsatisfied, many said they would return at the next meeting to continue applying pressure to the school board.

“There’s nothing good that’s come of this at all, nothing,” Chris Butler told AllOtsego. “The only people that have lost out are the kids.”