norm1909
Larry Normandin
Re: Nescac 2011-2012
Extensive case information is here.
The "right" primarily in question is the right to "due process", and that the coach breached his fiduciary duty and violated the "trust and loyalty" placed on the coach. IMO, the court is an appropriate venue for the deciding the merits of the claim. It is a privilege to play AND a privilege to coach – both positions involve commitments and expectations. The substantial commitment and resources required to excel as an athlete and reap the benefits of such abilities warrant the student "due process" to prevent a single person from destroying those benefits. It will be interesting to hear the courts ruling.
Generally (and I can't speak specifically for Midd, so I am making a supposition here) team rules include mandatory attendance at any and all team functions and being absent from those functions or leaving those functions early requires permission from the coach. So, based on the supposition that Midd's team rules include this, he broke a team rule by leaving the banquet early without permission (at least that's my understanding of what happened). Obviously, many people will say, that dismissing him from the team may be a bit harsh for breaking this particular rule, but some teams have a policy that consists of, "If you break a team rule, you're out, end of story."
In any case, the main point remains that playing hockey at any school is a privilege, not a right, and the legal system shouldn't be wasting its time on suits of people who had privileges taken away. There are fare more important things for the legal system to adjudicate, like people having their actual rights infringed upon every day.
Extensive case information is here.
The "right" primarily in question is the right to "due process", and that the coach breached his fiduciary duty and violated the "trust and loyalty" placed on the coach. IMO, the court is an appropriate venue for the deciding the merits of the claim. It is a privilege to play AND a privilege to coach – both positions involve commitments and expectations. The substantial commitment and resources required to excel as an athlete and reap the benefits of such abilities warrant the student "due process" to prevent a single person from destroying those benefits. It will be interesting to hear the courts ruling.
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