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Paso Robles coach to stay on leave for rest of season

November 4, 2016

syrup coach

Paso Robles High School Head Coach Rich Schimke will remain on administrative leave for the rest of the football season. However, he has been reinstated as a teacher at the high school.

On Oct. 14, following a football game against San Luis Obispo High School, Schimke poured syrup in the belly button of a 17-year-old Paso Robles player and licked or pretended to lick the syrup. The incident was caught on camera, and about a week later, the player’s mother reported it to the Paso Robles Police Department.

The police department investigated the incident and concluded nothing criminal occurred. Paso Robles Joint Unified School District officials have been conducting a separate investigation for about two weeks.

While Schimke has been on leave from his coaching job, numerous community members have been calling for the district to reinstate him. However, many critics have also said Schimke deserves to lose his job.

On Thursday, the coach’s supporters were picketing outside the district offices for the second consecutive day when administrators announced they were reinstating Schimke as a teacher but not as a coach. District officials released a statement saying Schimke’s teaching job has no connection to his work as the football coach.

“The district has determined that the Oct. 14 incident occurred in relation to Mr. Schimke’s service as the head varsity football coach, and had no nexus to his service as a classroom teacher. As such, Mr. Schimke has been reinstated to his classroom teaching position effective Nov. 3, 2016.”

Schimke is a longtime math teacher at Paso Robles High School who has been praised for introducing innovative statistics and calculus programs. He has served as head football coach since 1999.

District officials do not plan to make any other decisions regarding Schimke’s status as a football coach until the district’s governing board meets on Nov. 8. Assistant coach Matt Carroll will remain the interim head coach for the rest of the season. The Paso Robles team’s regular season finale is Friday night at Atascadero High School.


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So in a close at stakes game when you score and the kids are running back to the sidelines and the coaches high five or the good game slap on the ass is that just a coach grooming and looking for a victim? This is a big crock of S&#$ and that is why I am changing my vote on Measure M to a NO, I will not support a district that has no balls to look at it as what it is, a celebration after a game. Nothing sexual, no crime, no harm and to suspend for what? Also, I will not renew my Booster membership, a lot of friends said they will not next year and some business that donate $$$$ are doing a lot of thinking of what they will do next year.


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Ladies & Gentlemen,


I support Teacher and Coach Rich Schimke, and agree with James D!


This whole thing is ‘much ado about nothing’, and speaks to a fascination in our culture with political correctness and gotcha moments. It is truly sad to see this good man maligned for a situation that was both harmless and celebratory.


I had the GREAT pleasure of playing for Coach Rich Schimke, and was also a student in his math class at Paso Robles High School. I can attest that this is a man of high morals, who works hard to set a good example and he has contributed to helping literally thousands of young people develop into contributing adults.


I, as a society, f we have grown so overbearing in our scrutiny, we simply will continue to see good people decline to participate and step up into the role of leadership. Is that what we want?


The mom won, but what did she win?


Just wondering,


Josey


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I think the ‘perception’ of the situation called for the school to remove him as a coach. I feel the action was inappropriate and not necessary. This is an adult who is suppose to be setting an example and this was just not a good call on this teachers part.


With teachers being found having sex with students, and the number of pedophiles arrested in this area, better safe than sorry with your children. The experts say pedophiles groom their victims for some time before they assault them, and it is normally someone the family and child trust. I am NOT saying in any way, shape, or form the coach is a pedophile.


Was the mother looking out for her child like a momma bear, YES! Is it wrong of her to do it this way, I don’t know. I just know most parents never want harm done to their child be it mentally, or physically and it is their job to protect their child.


I think the parent did what she felt was right, he did not lose his job, and he has been put on notice as to what parents find inappropriate and hopefully learns something, gets some sexual harassment training and moves on in a positive way.


I would rather read this type of article than one saying “coach arrested for having sex with student”


MOM I think you did a good job protecting your child!


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Sexual harassment? Don’t see anything sexy about a sticky belly button. What am I missing here?


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Much ado about nothing. Next thing you know, towel slaps will be considered assault. I can understand that an unreasonable and over-protective mother would make noise but why has it become so public? We’re not talking Penn State here.


I’m betting the kid has learned a valuable lesson on what to share with mommy. I feel sorry for both the coach and the kid but I believe sanity will prevail and both will recover.


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