Calabasas Basketball Coach's Dismissal Prompts Student Outrage

CALABASAS, CA — Calabasas High School students and community members on Sunday called on district administrators to reconsider their decision to dismiss girls basketball coach Jena Laolagi, arguing that her dismissal was unfair.

Laolagi was recently told she would be dismissed from the district after her fourth year in the role, according to a Change.org petition created by Calabasas High School community members.

Coaches are evaluated at the conclusion of every season for staffing decisions to be made before the next school year, Las Virgenes Unified School District Superintendent Dan Stepenosky told the Los Angeles Daily News.

But the decision has students "greatly angered," according to the Change.org petition. The petition, which had 1,049 signatures as of Thursday afternoon, asked the administration to rehire Laolagi.

"Laolagi has given Calabasas High School a fantastic reputation among other girls basketball teams at other schools, and throughout the whole basketball community. She pushes the girls to always get better and always be the best they can be, while making sure they can manage being student athletes along with making practice fun. Laolagi loves her girls and the girls love her too and will not stop fighting until she is rehired as Calabasas High Schools head coach for the girls basketball team," the Change.org petition said.

It was not clear why Laolagi was dismissed. Parents and players told the Daily News they suspected her dismissal was related to Stepenosky's daughter not getting a lot of playing time on the team.

Patch reached out to Laolagi and Stepenosky for comment.

The district was not able to discuss the coach's specific personnel situation, said Steve Scifres, assistant superintendent of human resources for the Las Virgenes Unified School District.

That being said, Scifres denied the allegation that Laolagi was released for not giving a student playing time.

"Allegations that the CHS Girls Basketball Coach was released for not playing a student are both inaccurate and unfounded. We take very seriously our responsibility to honor employment laws and all established procedures regarding employee matters. The District would not dismiss an employee from work without legitimate concerns," Scifres said in an email.