Advertisement

High school coach reinstated after no wrongdoing found in team's rap video

Dawn McNew and her coaching staff was reinstated as the Lehigh Senior High boys basketball coach on Monday after the Lee County School District concluded there was no wrongdoing in the supervision of the basketball team during the making of an explicit rap video on campus last week.

Nine Lehigh basketball playerrs were suspended last Monday for five days following an investigation into the production of the video which included profane and sexually explicit lyrics that was shot on school grounds and posted to social media Thursday, Jan. 28. McNew and paid assistantsRyan Lewis and Ed Hearyman were suspended and placed on an indefinite professional standards inquiry looking into their oversight of the team.

“Everyone is elated to be back together as a family, boys and coaches alike, and there’s always two sides to the story,” McNew wrote in a statement. “The boys realize they made a mistake. These are still boys of good character or they wouldn’t be in our program and we respectfully understand that the district also has a procedure and policy to follow. So it’s time for us to get back to work and make the most of the opportunity to strive for a great rest of the season.”

McNew was back on the court Monday running practice ahead of the Lightning’s Region 6A-3 quarterfinal game against Golden Gate on Thursday. Volunteer assistant Mike Bonilla coached the Lightning (19-7) for two district games in McNew’s absence.

Lewis and Hearyman were also reinstated Monday. All three coaches remained in the school during the inquiry and continued to teach, Lee County spokesperson Amity Chandler said.

“There was no probable cause for disciplinary action beyond the game suspensions,” Chandler said.

Following the decision, parents lobbying for the reinstatement of McNew were ecstatic.

“I’m excited about it,” said Lehigh parent Bernard Edwards, whose son Breshard was not one of the players suspended. “I just think it was a process. And it’s really a crazy situation to go through it and get the kids back. But now we have her back.”

“I feel like things are complete now,” said Jarvis Martin Sr., a parent of two basketball players on the varsity team.

McNew retained local attorney Mike McQuagge, a personal injury, wrongful death and civil litigation attorney for McQuagge and King Law Firm in Fort Myers, on Friday.

“We had the game plan to really get after this and be more aggressive first thing Monday morning,” said McQuagge, a 1986 Fort Myers graduate who played football at the University of Florida. “Obviously with a Thursday game, it wasn’t something we wanted to wait around on.”

“We had to get her back on the court,” he added. “Fortunately, they came up with the right decision today.”

Lehigh principal Jackie Corey released a statement Monday regarding the decision to reinstate McNew.

“Dawn McNew has always been an exceptional coach,” Corey said. “I am looking forward to her and her team putting this behind them and moving on towardsRegionals.”

Parents of players involved in the suspension remained committed to getting the decision reversed throughout the week. Martin Sr. said he took off work last week to be available for meetings with school district personnel.

Continue reading here.

More News