Randy Burgess began coaching water polo and swim in Coronado in 1981. In 1982, Burgess began working at Coronado Middle School teaching a government funded health program. Also in 1982, Burgess started the Coronado Island Water Polo Club, now known as Coronado Aquatics Club, where he serves as the Executive Director of the Club. Burgess became a full-time teacher and the head aquatics coach at Coronado High School in 1987. He remained in those positions continuously from 1987 to 2015. In 2015, he resigned as the head coach to mentor new coach hires, but retained his full-time teaching position at Coronado High School.
Last April, Burgess was placed on paid administrative leave by Coronado Unified School District (CUSD). A former student has alleged that Randy Burgess sexually assaulted him back in 2011, however, The Coronado Times was unable to obtain any documents that confirm any allegations against Burgess. 10News did interview Burgess regarding allegations of a sexual assault in a video interview that aired last week.
During a phone interview with The Coronado Times, Burgess stated:
I have never had any interaction with this individual and they have never been under my supervision in any way, shape or form. The way this was handled, they [CUSD] bypassed a lot of my rights. I have not been allowed any recourse to respond to the complaints. I was completely blindsided by the allegations by the student and district. The district has had an opportunity to investigate for over six months.
Burgess has not been informed on when a decision will be made to reinstate him to be allowed back in the classroom or BBMAC as Executive Director of Coronado Aquatics Club.
In June, Burgess, and his attorney, officially submitted a petition of writ to demand that he be restored to his regular duties as a teacher at Coronado High School and Executive Director of the Club. He is also requesting to be awarded attorney’s fees and costs that the court may find appropriate. That petition was recently made public (Burgess Petition).
Randy Burgess is requesting that a court order CUSD to end his suspension from the classroom – details below:
Further, the petition goes on to describe the removing of the petitioner from the classroom:
The entire petition can be read here: Burgess Petition
The Coronado Times contacted the Coronado Unified School District and asked for comment about the ongoing “administration leave” and petition request made by Randy Burgess and his attorney:
The collective focus and priority of the Coronado Unified School District is teaching and learning while nurturing a safe and supportive environment for those within our shared community. Allegations have been made against a Coronado Unified School District staff member. The District takes such claims very seriously. When the allegations became known, the District followed policy and protocol by taking immediate action to protect the safety and security of District students and staff. As this is a personnel related issue, the District has no further comment.
Matthew Herron, attorney representing Randy Burgess, gave The Coronado Times this comment regarding the ongoing petition to get Burgess reinstated at Coronado High School:
The statement from the District is false and misleading in several important ways:
- The District denied the former student’s claim finding it had no merit. The denial was in May 2017 and Mr. Burgess was still not reinstated.
- There is no “policy or protocol” which permits this suspension, which violates the teacher contract, the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Education Code. The Board’s Policy no. BP 4418 requires prior notice, the opportunity to contest the suspension and the right to a hearing, none of which the District has followed.
- Mr. Mueller [CUSD Superintendent] has testified Mr. Burgess poses no danger to student safety so continuing to claim he a danger to students is false. He also testified Mr. Burgess is a “great teacher.”
- Mr. Mueller has also testified the Board did not vote on this matter but the citizens of Coronado deserve to know how each Board member votes on continuing this suspension. A vote should be required at the next Board meeting set for October 19, 2017.
- The District did not conduct an investigation of Mr. Burgess but instead their insurance agency conducted an investigation about insurance coverage only.
- There is no budget for this suspension and Mr. Mueller cannot even estimate its cost to the taxpayers.
Over 500 supporters have joined a Facebook group called We Stand with Randy. Here is how the group is described:
We Stand With Randy is a place for people – athletes, students, parents – who have been positively impacted by Coach Burgess to tell their stories.
Further, the unnamed administrators of the page added this overview to the “story” section of the Facebook group:
Recently, Coach Burgess, a beloved member of the Coronado School District with over thirty years of devotion to our students and athletes, was accused of abuse by a former student who graduated over 5 years ago and who Coach Burgess does not recall meeting. The accusations are serious.
The San Diego District Attorney reviewed the evidence and, after reviewing the evidence, did not file a single charge against Coach Burgess or take any further action.
The accusations were also brought to the Coronado School District. The District immediately and illegally suspended Coach Burgess. There was no search for the truth; Coach Burgess was not given an opportunity to defend himself. He remains on suspension and has been given no time frame for his reinstatement.
Visit the Facebook page We Stand With Randy to read the entire “story” statement.
The next School Board meeting is October 19th. Meetings start at 4pm and take place at the CUSD offices at 201 6th Street. Meetings are public and allow for “Comments from the Audience” that are described as the following:
Anyone wishing to address the Board on agenda, non-agenda, and/or Closed Session items may do so. Individual speakers will be limited to three minutes. Total public input on any one subject will be limited to twenty minutes, and may be extended at the discretion of the Board President. Comments on an agenda item may be taken when the agenda item is discussed by the Board. Comments on non-agenda items will be heard before the Consent Motion if there are three speaker cards or less per topic. If there are more than three speaker cards per topic, then the comments from the audience may be held until the end of the agenda.
Related:
Coronado Coach Suspended for Allegations of Inappropriate Behavior
