January 12—COVENTRY The girls soccer team’s coach, a high school social studies teacher, was suspended without pay for three days and prohibited from coaching “for the foreseeable future” because of what the principal calls “unprofessional behavior toward student athletes.”
In response to a regular request for information regarding any disciplinary proceedings taken against staff members, the Journal Inquirer received a disciplinary letter addressed to the former coach, Vernon resident Warren Herrington.
Joseph M. Blake, the school principal, stated in a letter dated December 6 that Herrington acted unprofessionally on November 10, but he did not specify what exactly was unprofessional. This week, Blake did not pick up calls asking for comment.
Last week, when contacted by phone, Herrington refused to comment.
According to Blake’s letter, Herrington was to serve out his suspension from December 1 to December 3, or Wednesday through Friday of the week prior to receiving a handwritten disciplinary letter the following Monday.
Blake, Herrington, two union representatives, and the assistant principal of the school were present at the meeting, which was called “to address concerns about your behavior and performance as a Girls Soccer Coach for the Coventry Public Schools,” according to the principal’s letter.
The principal stated in the letter that “you were given a full and fair opportunity to respond” at the meeting, which is when the suspension started.
