Teacher/Coach Don Papa in hot water for alleged racially charged ...lingo

[BKWRDKUROUT]

http://nextshark.com/high-school-coach-fire-mocking-asian-american-player-ching-chong-taunts/

http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/...n-hot-water-for-alleged-racially-11018248.php

http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SF-high-school-coach-put-on-leave-over-ching-11034749.php

Gal admin has already handled it wrong. Protocol says you suspended with pay, until investigation is complete and then most likely part ways.

 

[myko98]

that's just terrible!

 

[bella123]

People need to lighten up and stup being "offended" at every joke. If you don't like it don't laugh, move on. Absolutely no one died here.

 

[myko98]

People need to lighten up and stup being "offended" at every joke. If you don't like it don't laugh, move on. Absolutely no one died here.

So I will disagree with your comments above. So yes, I don't like those comments, why should I have to move on? The coach made those comments for everyone to hear and to elicit reaction from the player, the opposing team, to his own team, and to the fans and spectators. Telling people to lighten up or move on is easy to say. But so is not saying those things. Why couldn't the coach control himself?

And to say, nobody died here. Yes it's true, no one did die. But there are plenty of cases where racial profiling, racial insensitivity, and racism itself has killed. It has caused bullying, deaths, wars, and everything else imaginable. The line between joking, insensitivity, and outright racism is blurred. Should we wait until someone dies? Or if we just pretend people aren't saying these things and suck it up, that makes everything ok?

And shouldn't the adult act like the adult here? Shouldn't the coach be the role model, the leader for inclusion, and yes, he should be called out for his actions.

 

[NorCalSportsFan]

Very understandable that the parent was upset about the coach's action. As far as suspension or losing a job over it, that is grey in many ways. Was the action in malice/harassment or poor judgement? At the least, the coach should apologize to the player, the parent and the team. Should the coach be suspended or terminated, that I think should be based on whether it was in malice/harassment. People are people and they make mistakes and also some people shouldn't be coaching kids. If a first time incident the administration should use judgement. Problem is in today's litigious environment, school administrators will judge on what will limit their risk. Maybe the coach can talk with the parent and player and resolve this. I am hesitant to believe someone should be fired for a mistake if the person is truly sorry and can learn from it. There is at times a grey area between lack of judgement, not being politically correct and being racist. There is also a place where one can not be politically correct or even racist if one is (that is one's home) and not at your employer. The comment by the coach rightfully is a racist term, but was there malice? There is also a grey area between being racist through ignorance or malice. Hopefully this will be resolved without any lawsuits and if the coach is a good coach (of teams and people) and learns from it retains his job. Whatever the result it will be a learning experience from all involved.

 

[hecanfoos]

The coach was wrong if things played out as described. He needs to know better, especially here in the 21st century. Still though, assuming many years of good service to the student athletes, there should be some middle ground between inaction by district officials and termination of the coach.

 

[bella123]

So I will disagree with your comments above. So yes, I don't like those comments, why should I have to move on? The coach made those comments for everyone to hear and to elicit reaction from the player, the opposing team, to his own team, and to the fans and spectators. Telling people to lighten up or move on is easy to say. But so is not saying those things. Why couldn't the coach control himself?

And to say, nobody died here. Yes it's true, no one did die. But there are plenty of cases where racial profiling, racial insensitivity, and racism itself has killed. It has caused bullying, deaths, wars, and everything else imaginable. The line between joking, insensitivity, and outright racism is blurred. Should we wait until someone dies? Or if we just pretend people aren't saying these things and suck it up, that makes everything ok?

And shouldn't the adult act like the adult here? Shouldn't the coach be the role model, the leader for inclusion, and yes, he should be called out for his actions.

Yes he could have not made the comments, you are right, but he did so you have to deal with it somehow.

Some will be upset with his comments, they should be respected for that feeling. Some will think they were funny. They also should also be respected for that opinion. Hell
I didnt find it funny or offensive, put me in the middle. Some will agree others won't. Always gonna be that way.

If he has a pattern of breaking school rules then maybe some type of formal discipline should be considered (suspended for as a game or two). If not tell him to knock it off and move on.

 

[1315]

25 year tenure in SF? There's no ignorance on the part of a social science teacher. And why his outburst is SO disappointing.

There is, however, redemption. Perhaps some community service time in both an Asian Studies course at SFState and for the other end of the spectrum, a couple hundred voluntary service hours in a disabled children's facility; to remind him of his great fortune in teaching very able-bodied (and probably smarter than he) young men.

Only, but only, after a community wide- not just "the team"- mea culpa for his idiotic actions.