Schools
Staples High School Students Protest Dismissal Of Popular Coach: Report
The students briefly walked out of class on Friday.
WESTPORT, CT — The controversial dismissal of Staples High School boys soccer coach Russell Oost-Lievense has not sat well with dozens of students, and on Friday about 100 of them staged a brief walkout to protest the firing, the Connecticut Post and News 12 Connecticut reported.
Oost-Lievense's contract was not renewed by Superintendent Thomas Scarice and the Board of Education this week, reportedly in part over Oost-Lievense not disclosing a heated verbal argument between a player and assistant soccer coach Harry Ocampo.
According to the Post, Oost-Lievense appealed his dismissal to the board, but was denied.
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The protest reportedly lasted about 15 minutes, and the students did not leave school grounds. A smaller group of parents stood across the street from the school to show their support of the coach, who had held the post for the past three years.
Patch reached out to Scarice for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.
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Read the Connecticut Post story; read the News 12 Connecticut story.
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