High school football coach and athletic director Eric Hernandez of Brooks Academy in San Antonio has been dismissed mid-season without any public explanation. His sudden departure was met with widespread discontent by students and parents alike, as Hernandez was generally well-liked and has had a successful run as athletic director at the academy.
On Monday after the coach’s dismissal, more than a hundred disgruntled students from the science and technology campus walked out of classes to gather on the lawn. The purpose of their peaceful protest was two-fold: the students want to hear the reasoning that led to the forced departure of a popular coach, or they want him to be allowed to return.
Video: Brooks Academy students walk out to protest coach's firing https://t.co/GiTE3Q163E #KSATnews pic.twitter.com/Hzr8Lp1xPu
— KSAT 12 (@ksatnews) October 19, 2016
The students’ actions elicited general support from the community, where parents are also upset by being left in the dark. Betsy Rosado, a parent from San Antonio, was reported on USA Today saying, “This coach is amazing. He’s done so much for our kids, and for the school to let him go, I’m not for it. And that’s why I support what these kids are doing. This athletic program is what’s helping this school get bigger. Our enrollment, it’s everything. And if you’re going to go and take the coaches off, what’s going to happen to the school?”
In response to the protest, the administration at Brooks Academy said only that now is not an appropriate time to discuss the details of Hernandez’ departure, and that more information will be released in time. The administration then urged students to keep focused on their education, an answer that was judged unsatisfactory by most.
