A former New Hope High school principal and a beloved past baseball coach say a personal vendetta led to their firings.
Longtime New Hope baseball coach Stacy Hester filed a suit in federal court Monday against the Lowndes County School District. Former New Hope principal Lynn Wright filed a similar suit Tuesday. Both are asking for actual damages, court costs and their jobs back.
In his suit, Wright claims his support of Hester as baseball coach ultimately caused his termination though the district cited an illegal purchase for the firing. Hester also alleges “Halford and his wife had long harbored a grudge” against him, because their son got little playing time.
Wright and Hester were released by the district in May for the improper purchase of a $15,000 lawnmower in 2007 to cut the grass at New Hope athletic facilities.
While the lawnmower was paid for monthly with baseball booster funds, it was purchased through New Hope High School. Hester and Wright signed off on paperwork to purchase the lawnmower through the school, a liberty Wright understood to be supported by the district.
When Wright was hired in 2007, Halford said Hester raised money through private parents” booster clubs to support the New Hope baseball team because the school district could not spend money for one school without doing likewise for the others, as outlined by a federal desegregation order.
“Halford praised the performance of fundraising of New Hope baseball coach Stacy Hester,” the complaint reads. “Consistent with previous practice, it was the understanding that the lease payments would be made by the New Hope booster clubs,” it continues.
But when Hester”s strict coaching style drew hostility from a “small number of parents,” Wright alleges in the complaint, the purchase was used as an excuse to fire Hester, and Wright for supporting him.
Lowndes County Superintendent Mike Halford, former board president Dr. Robert Buckley and their spouses were among the parents questioning Hester”s coaching, the complaint claims. So the four “became obsessed with terminating Hester as baseball coach.”
Though Halford asked Wright to recommend Hester for non-renewal, Wright recommended Hester as baseball coach for the 2009-2010 school year. Wright saw Hester as “an excellent role model for the students,” who “set high standards for his players.” And Hester”s students “had an excellent record both on the field and in the classroom,” Wright”s complaint reads.
Despite Wright”s recommendation, Hester was fired as baseball coach after 18 years. He continued to work for New Hope schools as an elementary school physical education teacher and bus driver to fulfill his retirement qualification with the district, until his termination. When he was fired, Hester was told “to take with him all of his equipment and assets that he had privately purchased for the use of the New Hope baseball club.” And since he personally signed for the lawnmower, Hester took it as well.
Two booster clubs he formed — the Diamond Club and the New Hope Baseball Club — were disbanded and their accounts closed, including the account from which payments toward the lawnmower were made. When the lessor contacted the new booster club, the Trojan Club, about the lease payment, Halford was notified, and Hester and Wright were fired.
In both suits, the plaintiffs say the firings were unfounded and a breach of contract.
Reasons listed in Halford”s May 17 termination letter to Wright are failure to comply with district purchasing procedures, assisting an employee in illegally purchasing an item, and insubordination.
Reasons listed in Halford”s termination letter, issued on the same day, to Hester are violation of district policy and state law, and insubordination.
Both men are represented by Tupelo attorney Jim Waide. County school board attorney Jeff Smith did not return calls by press time. Lowndes County Superintendent Mike Halford had not yet consulted with Smith on the litigation.
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