Citizens challenge school board

Editor's note: The school district was to make an announcement regarding the football program Tuesday night. See http://www.nuggetnews.com for details.

When Sisters folks want answers from their elected officials, they come out enmass to ask for them. Such was the scene at the Tuesday, March 11 meeting of the Sisters School Board.

One citizen after another asked why Sisters High School principal Bob Macauley resigned as the school's football coach.

The school district was to Concern about Macauley's resignation has been simmering in the community since he went public with the decision last August 24. At that time Macauley stated that abandoning his role as football coach would make it possible for him to devote full-time energy to his role as high school principal.

Many in Sisters have not swallowed this explanation.

Three of Macauley's assistant volunteer coaches Ken Ruettgers, Quay Richerson and Tim Barrier expressed their dismay about Macauley's resignation at Tuesday's school board meeting. Macauley was not present.

"Things don't add up," said Ruettgers. "Why would a state and local coaching icon, a man who is arguably on track to break the all-time winning record for high school football in Oregon history, suddenly retire within weeks of the arrival of a new superintendent? Why wouldn't the superintendent ask that coach to reconsider his voluntary retirement and return? Why do board members and the superintendent avoid answering the question: 'If Bob retired, would you have a problem with him unretiring if indeed he did voluntarily retire without having been given an ultimatum?'"

Richerson said that what superintendent Drakulich and board members have told him does not match their actions.

"In each meeting I was told that Mr. Macauley is a great man, a great football coach, is doing a wonderful job as a principal and Sisters High School is one of the top high schools in the state. But when asked the question of why then was Mr. Macauley asked to choose between his job as a principal and his love as a football coach, the answers were vague at best," he said.

A petition outlining three alternatives for Macauley to remain active in the high school's football program has been circulated throughout the community. That 600-signature petition was recently submitted to Sisters School District superintendent Elaine Drakulich.

Freshman Jordan Richerson directly asked superintendent Drakulich and board members why they have not thus far responded to the petition.

"We spend tons of time and effort on the petition," she said. "We presented it to Elaine Drakulich, superintendent. I just wanted to know what happened to that. We never heard anything back on it. I wanted to know first of all if it was shown to Mr. Macauley to show our support and how much we wanted him back as football coach and second of all if each one of the board members saw it and was able to see what the community and what the students opinion was on that."

School board chairman Mike Gould responded: "We did see it."

Jordan continued. "We did not hear a response on it. Was there a response? We spend a lot of time on it, and we never heard anything back."

"And I guess there probably wasn't a response," chairman Gould said.

NFL Hall-of-Famer Dan Fouts spoke: "What is the impact of a high school football coach, a man like Bob (Macauley) where he teaches discipline, where he teaches respect, coaches good football, unites the community?" Fouts asked.

The district has promised to grapple directly with the subject before the month is out.

Drakulich has told The Nugget that the district will respond to the petition later this month.

"Bob (Macauley), myself and a board member will give you a statement. We have been listening and working with that petition. We have been talking, and we will have the three of us in a united statement, or we'll all three talk before spring break," she said.

Later in the evening the board considered the resignation of Sisters Elementary School counselor George Shackelford. Chairman Gould allowed Shackelford to address the board directly. During his presentation Shackelford stated that the school district had coerced him to tender his resignation. School board members voted to not accept superintendent Drakulich's recommendation to accept Shackelford's resignation. Board member Jeff Smith abstained from the vote.

On Thursday, March 13, an emergency executive session was called to further discuss the matter. When school board members reconvened in open session, they unanimously voted to accept superintendent Drakulich's recommendation to not renew Shackelford's contract.