Prep Coach Groped in Facebook Photo Gets Fired

Michael Gaio Headshot

A picture of a man touching a woman's chest posted on Facebook has landed them both in trouble at work.

Here's where the story gets interesting: The woman in the photo, which has since been removed, was Pacatello (Idaho) High School's girl's varsity basketball coach, Laraine Cook. The man in the photo was her boyfriend and Pocatello High's varsity football coach, Tom Harrison.

Here's where it gets even more interesting: Cook, a coach in the district since 2009 according to that same Facebook profile that landed her in trouble in the first place, was fired over the photo. Harrison, an Idaho Hall of Fame coach, was not. He was "reprimanded," but will keep his job.

No further details of his punishment were available.

"I would like to help you, but I can't at this time," he told the Idaho State Journal. "It's a sad deal."

According to this article from magicvalley.com, Harrison has coached high school football in Idaho since 1982, winning 10 state championships. He was inducted to the Idaho High School Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

As for Cook, parents of girls on the team tried to get her reinstated, but district officials stood by their decision to fire her. The girl's basketball season begins in just two weeks.

Does the punishment fit the crime? Usually, it's student-athletes who need reminders about what to post on social media. But this refresher might be good for coaches, too.

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