Jury: School District Justified in Releasing Coach Over Hazing
The coach argued he was fired in part because of his age.
Murray Putnam had served as baseball coach at the high school for 44 years.
A federal jury found school district administrators in Maine were justified when they did not renew a longtime high school baseball coach’s contract on Dec. 3.
Murray Putnam, 68, had alleged in a lawsuit that he was fired from his positions at Southern Aroostook Community High School in 2012 because of his age and because he was an outspoken critic of school consolidation, according to the Bangor Daily News.
But administrators at Regional School Unit #50, or RSU 50 as the district is known, asserted that Putnam’s contract ended because of severe hazing incidents that occurred on a spring baseball trip.
RELATED: How to Assess Your Hazing Prevention and Response Program
Putnam had held positions as athletic director and baseball coach at the high school for at least 39 years. His lawsuit was brought against the district and former RSU 50 Superintendents John A. Doe and Larry Malone.
A school district attorney said the jury’s decision “sent a strong message that hazing is absolutely unacceptable in our state.”
If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
Related Content
Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century
This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!
