Bill would shield coaches from parent gripes

Published 4:45 pm Saturday, March 2, 2013

ST. PAUL — Minnesota high school coaches could soon have a bit more job protection.

A bill now before the Legislature would add a sentence to the existing Minnesota law that governs the rights of coaches to contest their dismissals. It says that parent complaints can’t be the sole reason for letting a coach go.

State Rep. Dean Urdahl, a former varsity cross country coach, says he’s trying to guard against coaches losing their jobs when a parent complains about a child’s playing time or the type of plays they call.

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The Grove City Republican said parent complaints about inappropriate behavior would still be taken seriously and other laws would come into play.