DUBLIN — Dozens of students, parents and residents are calling for Dublin school officials to reinstate the Emerald High boy’s basketball coach who a district official on Monday said will not be returning as head coach next season.
Supporters of Jason Rockwell, known as “Coach Rock” last week showed up in droves at a Dublin Unified School District board meeting demanding Rockwell keep his job. Athletes were told on Monday that Rockwell will not be on the sidelines next year, district spokesman Chip Dehnert said.
The reason behind his departure has not been publicly explained, and it is only the latest staffing shakeup at what has been a rocky inaugural year for the school, which opened its doors to freshmen and sophomores last August as the county’s first new high school in 50 years. Last fall, Principal Francis Rojas resigned — reportedly in a text message to the superintendent — just months into the school year.
Now, the school’s athletic directors are also asking the coaches of the track and field, cross country, basketball and football teams reapply for their jobs and compete with outside candidates. With a new junior class next year, the school will have varsity sports for the first time.
So far, two online petitions were created to demand the reinstatement of Rockwell and Laura Gan, the track and field coach. Rockwell could not be reached for comment.
Rockwell, who also teaches special education at Emerald High, was placed on a 10-day administrative leave in mid-December following a complaint to the district – the details of which have not been publicly disclosed. After his temporary leave, Rockwell has since returned to his teaching job, according to the district.
At the school board meeting last week, Ed Duldulao, a local doctor, said his freshman son chose to attend the school for the opportunity to play under Rockwell, who coached the boy in middle school.
“He encouraged everyone to continuously improve their skills. Winning games was not the most important, nor the only goal,” Duldulao told the board. “Without Coach Rock, EHS students would lose a leader who offers stability, guidance and a supportive environment for their growth, both on and off the court.”
Rockwell, who has coached basketball in the Bay Area for 13 years, was named teacher of the year at Emerald last year, and has worked as an instructional aide, campus supervisor and special education teacher for six years.
Ben Parsa, a local businessman and fellow coach, expressed his “unwavering support for Coach Rock.”
“It is vital for the community at EHS to retain him as the varsity basketball coach,” Parsa said. “It’s a lot bigger than the game of basketball for us parents and these kids.”
KJ Daniels, a team captain for Emerald’s basketball team, applauded his coach’s “enthusiasm, humor and kindness.”
“As you can see, Coach Rock has a lot of supporters that are willing to stand with him,” Daniels said. “On and off the court, Coach Rock is always seen helping others and treating everyone around him equally, no matter the situation he is in.”
Gan, several of whose track athletes qualified for league finals last year, said in an interview that she was let go from her track coaching position after the winter break, with the athletic directors telling her they would like to go in a “different direction.” Gan said that she was told over the phone in January that she would not be returning to the school as a coach, and was not offered an in-person exit interview.
Michelle Tomilloso and Monique Paris, the co-athletic directors, did not respond to requests for comment on this story.
Football coach James Berry, who has worked on one-year contracts, also had to reapply for his head coaching position. The district said Berry will be back coaching next year.
“When you say you want to go in a new direction, I don’t know what direction that is,” Gan said. “It’s just really shady, it’s unethical … At the end of the day, it’s the kids that are losing out and that’s not OK. I should be invited back with a red carpet. All of our coaches should be invited back with a red carpet.”