McAllen school district trustees declined to apologize to former coach Felipe Barrera for the way the district handled complaints against him during a grievance hearing last week.
Barrera, who resigned as coach in March after being told he would be suspended, was arrested earlier this month and charged with stalking after allegedly threatening Athletic Director Brian McClenney.
A statement from Barrera’s attorney says the warrant for that arrest was “sought and secured by the District based on false pretenses” and that charges followed the attorney telling the district Barrera intended to move forward with workplace retaliation claims.
In reference to his grievance, Barrera says he deserves an apology, characterizing himself as a whistleblower being retaliated against by the district’s administration.
Administrative documents in Barrera’s level three grievance packet, however, describe a lengthy chain of policy violations Barrera allegedly committed that stretched back to August of 2021.
In addition to allegations of using vulgar language — which precipitated administration’s decision to suspend Barrera — the documents describe numerous complaints from parents, a self-reported UIL policy violation and several instances in which Barrera potentially used district facilities inappropriately for a private coaching venture.
For his part, Barrera said complainants against him were biased, evidence had been fabricated, due process was not adhered to and, in essence, that the entire thing was a “witch hunt” against him promoted by immoral administrators.
The grievance hearing was predictably tense.
Barrera repeatedly accused administrators — including Superintendent J.A. Gonzalez — of being immoral and unethical.
Legal counsel for the district repeatedly warned him to stick to his grievance and avoid criticizing specific individuals.
Ultimately, trustees moved the last two minutes of Barrera’s 10-minute hearing into executive session.
“This is their process, this is not a court of law,” Alfonso Kennard, Barrera’s attorney said. “They will be fined for that; we all know this is a sham process to begin with.”
Trustees were obviously offended by that grievance.
“I don’t appreciate being called a sham session by an attorney, and we’re here to hear your level 1-level 2 [grievance]. And you’re bringing stuff — rumors — that’s nowhere in here,” Trustee Conrado “Ito” Alvarado said.
Before the board adjourned behind closed doors, Barrera addressed some of the allegations against him, including those reports of vulgarity.
“I still don’t know the words they said I said, cause I don’t say bad words,” he said. “That’s one thing I hate. I hate coaches that use bad words; and I know all of you, if you look back, if you fired every coach that said a bad word, you wouldn’t have coaches in this district.”
The grievance packet said administration interviewed 10 randomly selected students who described Barrera using a healthy variety of foul phrases, demeaning expressions and “gay innuendos.”
The packet describes Barrera’s alleged behavior at a March 15 varsity game.
“You two are worthless s***s!” the packet says the former coach told players. “Get your asses out of there, I wish I had someone else to play!”
The next day, March 16, an umpire and a trainer both reported that Barrera used foul language at a junior varsity baseball game.
That same day, Athletic Coordinator Moses Patterson told Barrera about the concerns and told him he would be suspended pending an investigation into them.
“There is no need for that,” the packet describes Barrera saying. “I am going to resign as of today. I don’t need this s***, and I am tired of dealing with this.”
Barrera then grabbed a notepad off Patterson’s desk and wrote an exceptionally brief resignation letter.
In the hearing, Barrera defended his character and said the way the district handled allegations is an affront against his coaching legacy.
“You know, the young kids that don’t have the income, the money: Coach Barrera helps them find a way to get into college,” he said about himself.
FURTHER ALLEGATIONS
The packet also describes a long series of allegations over the past school year aside from Barrera’s alleged fondness for colorful language.
One instance from September indicated Barrera returned a player recovering from COVID-19 to training without following protocol. Barrera was advised of proper protocol again after that player complained of shortness of breath and chest pains.
The packet describes wrangling that month over replacing an assistant coach on his team that Barrera wanted to remove because he doubted his trustworthiness because that assistant also coached basketball. It says Barrera described the assistant as a “cancer” on the team.
Earlier in September, the packet says a parent complained about Barrera making players dress in their dugout rather than in a locker room, where they would have privacy.
Barrera told administration he didn’t have an area for players to dress or that the area was too crowded with soccer players, although the locker room was secluded from soccer and PE, the document says.
“Coach Barrera then stated that the baseball locker area was too far from the field, and it would take to (sic) long to change and then get over to practice,” it reads.
Barrera then complained about not having enough support from administration and threatened to resign, the packet says.
Most of the allegations, however, pertain to violations involving the use of facilities, generally in regard to Barrera’s private coaching ventures.
On August 25, 2021, campus police noticed coaches and former athletes entering the Memorial High School baseball area, the packet says. They said they were there to work out, but when Barrera was contacted about the incident, he said they were there to sell and demo equipment.
According to the athletic office, several parents had made reports about Barrera’s private coaching activities.
“They range from forced private lessons, CashApp payments, South Texas Sliders baseball group, facility usage irregularities, off-season practices and more,” the packet says.
Documents describe multiple instances where individuals who did not appear to be enrolled at Memorial were training using the school’s facilities without district authorization or practicing with Memorial athletes.
At various points, the document said, Barrera answered questions about facility usage by saying those individuals had been there to sell and demo equipment, that they were just helping the team practice rather than taking part themselves or that they were the sons of close personal friends.
Barrera told administration last August that in the past an individual had allowed him to use facilities “if it was kept quiet.” That individual’s name is redacted in the copy of the packet obtained by The Monitor.
Barrera also told administration that he had not threatened kids who did not enroll in outside lessons with being kicked off the varsity team.
“I don’t appreciate anyone questioning my character or professionalism,” he wrote. “I’m ready to turn in my resignation if anyone wants it. I don’t need all this, and I can find a job anywhere. People like me and I’ll find a spot somewhere else.”
In March of 2022, facilities usage again became a problem.
On March 11 the district self-reported a violation of the UIL Constitution & Contest Rules, writing that two days earlier Barrera had allowed an 8th grade student from Cathey to play 1st base and practice with Memorial’s varsity team.
“His father was also in attendance, catching balls from players at home plate,” the document reads, adding that the violation would result in a written reprimand for Barrera.
An administrator had noticed the boy on the field, noting that he wore an orange South Texas Sliders cap.
Barrera claimed the student was acting as a ball boy.
BARRERA’S RESPONSE
Barrera and his attorney have characterized complaints against him and the way McAllen ISD handled them as almost tragic. In their view, a renowned coach is being dragged through the mud by retaliatory administrators.
The former coach is, a statement from Barrera’s attorney says, exceptional and a boon to his athletes.
“Coach Barrera came to McAllen Memorial to build a Texas State Champion-caliber team,” the statement reads. “ In a short time, he has laid meaningful groundwork toward meeting that goal. With over 30 years of coaching experience, Coach has always been both a hard-nosed discipline minded coach while still a “players coach.” He knows what it takes to get to the next level and teaches those principles daily. In his free time, he coaches select baseball teams comprised of low income youth competing against powerhouse teams from all over Texas.”
The statement said Barrera noticed political situations, poor administration and “egregious behavior” at the district.
Criticism of the district is Barrera’s first amendment right, the statement says. It also says
“Because he puts his student athletes first always, he raised the alarm and has been ignored and now targeted by the District,” it reads.
The statement also says Kennard is representing Barrera in “employment law claims against the district for retaliation.”
“At all times, this is about a powerful district retaliating against someone that is standing up for the kids. We are confident that the court system will agree,” Kennard wrote. “We let them know months ago that we intend to move forward with claims against the district for workplace retaliation, and the next thing we know they are trying to get him arrested.”
