News from the West: What will T.C. do?
This comes from Star-News prep editor Miguel Melendez
It's been almost two months since Temple City football coach Randy Backus was put on paid administrative leave. Since then, I've called Temple City High School almost on a weekly basis with little information to no information on what the school board's decision is regarding the matter. I put in a call to Temple City athletic director John Van De Veere on Wednesday and it sounds like the school board and the school will come to a decision by Friday (Van De Veere has agreed to call me then when a decision has been made). As far as his job as an English teacher, Backus has long since long been reinstated. Whether he continues as football coach or not is what's up in the air.
When asked about the progress Van De Veere elaborated a bit.
There's really nothing I can tell you definitely. I know you want to print something but all I can tell you is we're still going through a process of talking to him. (School) administrators are still talking to him. At this time no (decision has been made).
Van De Veere was asked when a decision would be made.
I would say at the end of this week we should come to a conclusion. That would probably be when the decision is made. On going negotiations coming ahead of Friday, at least I hope it does, If he's going to return.
Van De Veere was asked whether this puts the him and the athletic program in some strain given the timetable of having to fill the position.
For me it's a little bit late as we speak. You know how that goes. I'm a little concerned about the time table. We have a policy in our district that we need to fly the job in-house for two weeks before we can open it up outside. I cannot put it up on the CIF website until we float it here for two weeks. As of right now I don't foresee anybody (in-house) that would be interested in the job.
Should the position open up, Van De Veere was asked whether the job would come with a teaching position at Temple City High.
That's up in the air, too. I am really trying to get someone on campus. We want to get a teaching job for that individual. But what makes that very tough is we don't know if the individual would have credentials. That's part of the interview process.
Comments
Can you say "short man syndrome"...no wonder he is a jerkoff. He should have resigned instead of getting fired.
Posted by: Danny H. | January 14, 2009 3:58 PM
It is Saturday and the saga apparently was still not ruled on or at least not announced...those closest too the TC football program have gone past the disgusted stage. My ramble from earlier is below....
Goldenarm said:
Miquel,
As an obvious supporter of the TC Football program, I greatly appreciate the excellent job you have done attemting to pry any info out of this situation, one that has been under wraps and closed door from the get go. NY is correct, some degree of transparency would benefit all parties.
The board members and TC admin deserve nothing better than a “D” minus on handling this “issue”.
Let’s not forget, were it not for a tremendous effort by the kids and TC assistant staff, the Rams would have remained stunned and dead in the water, and possibly suffered a season ending defeat against La Canada, following Coach Backus’s announcement to the kids the Monday of that game week. The team was still in jaw drop mode when they took the field against LC that Friday. Please don’t send any CIF semi-final credit in the direction of the decision makers – at least not for this season.
Where was the support, the extra “all hands on deck” cry from the vaunted Temple City “best high school around” folk? There was none. It was left in the hands of Loya and Valdes to somehow grab and run the team – smack dab in the heat of it all. After that came silence, for Arroyo, for Azusa and finally for Paraclete. By Paraclete, even us dumb, loyal TC’er’s had figured out the bald man was not going to be strolling in and putting his defensive stamp on anything. Anything except a resignation form that is.
No formal announcement,even by Paraclete, some 4 plus weeks later. Only a full grandstand of loyal fans all watching the kids give their all...while the powers that be were content to let it play out, go Xmas shopping or whatever it was they thought more important than stepping to the plate and giving a tenured and dedicated man a shot to propel his team toward what at season start was unthinkable, a CIF championship.
Some might argue that Dean Harrington putting on shorts to prevent 3rd degree burns on those white legs of his and joining the TC staff was support enough….it was a good thing, yeah…but far from the effort that was deserved, yet never seen.
Like Rosemead, who is to say when Temple City will again find itself at the doorstep of a title shot. The seniors, the coaching staff, the fans who return year after year, long after they or their kids played...all deserved to get every possible advantage they could, against a heavily favored opponent. Backus, I feel, deserved his seat at the table, there on the sideline.
If he did not, he would not be on campus and teaching as he is. A short tempered, violent strangler is an equal threat in a classroom or locker room. Clearly, Backus' return to classroom is an obvious indicator the admin has established he is no threat to anyone, and in fact, a valued educator in their academic scheme.
The dirt road treatment Backus has endured likely has put his resume on the launching pad toward many area schools. Even a person of his integrity must feel that those he thought were standing behind him, now are merely people he must look over his shoulder at now and again, to assure they have not changed their minds in the midst of some future controversy or challenge.
The support floor under him has creaked, and the once solid footing can no longer be trusted.
Temple City High School has earned it's reputation as a top notch place for kids to spend 4 years of their young lives. TC Champs is correct in his observations that other aspects and pursuits in curriculum and elsewhere have begun to dilute the supremacy and flagship status of the football program. It may be a lack of knowledge and understanding of what it takes to compete and win year in and year out - now prevails in the TC mountaintop. Time will tell.
January 9, 2009 4:18 AM
Posted by: Goldenarm | January 10, 2009 3:36 AM
Looks like the powers that be may be jerking Backus around a little bit just to be politically correct in their upcoming decision.
Of course that's total speculation but knowing how some of these cowards are on city councils and school boards I'm going with my gut feeling on this one. He sure deserves better than this.
Posted by: Backing Backus | January 8, 2009 10:41 AM