Five black School Board members. The newspaper didn't mention names, but there are only five black school board members for SJTB's school board. I'm going to assume it was Russell Jack, Phillip Johnson, Albert “Ali” Burl, III, Patrick H. Sanders and Keith Jones.
there was a huge outcry in the community, as well. You should have heard all of the black people they interviewed on the news and radio saying "It aint like that. We not a bunch of uneducated people, and so what if a girl has a baby at 15. That don't mean that she gonna be a bad parent. He's insulting all of us." As a child of a former HS head football coach, I can tell you that to many of the poor black kids with no parental guidance at home, a football coach can be ALL the difference in that childs life. The difference between striving for something, learning to set goals,, attempting to perform well in school, staying off the streets, and even the opportunity to go to college vs being a thug, absent teenage father, criminal, and having no desire to ever be a productive member of society. Its a huge shame what happened to that coach. He wasn't saying that 100%, every black household in ESJ was full of 30 yr old single mothers who have little to nothing to do with their child's life. He was saying, however, that there are many cases like that. HE should know. HE deals with them every day. Its a shame that people think they have to get so indignant about someone speaking the truth. And once again, political correctness takes down another good person.
Let me tell you guys something about coach Deauterive!! I know this guy personally! He took over my high school football program the year after I graduated at Opelousas High in 1992, he led the to their two best years since the 1960's! We are alot like east ST Johns very predominately a black school(while I am white) this is the type of enviroment he thrives in, he does exactly what he said, he starts with discipline, and does alot of extras for our kids, kids that do not have authority figures in their live, he saves, and makes several kids better people!! All of that on TOP of being a proven winner!! East St John's parents and school board members have just made a horrific mistake here, they are letting their pride get in the way of what is best for them! Coach has gone to the prvate school ranks before, but was not as succesfull as he was at the public schools that NEED leadership! Coach if your around and looking opelousas high would sure love to see you back here again!! where every this guy goes he will be a success, because he is as good a person as he is a coach!!
It's very telling that so many didn't see an issue with a 15 year old girl becoming pregnant. No wonder so many do. This would have been a non-issue if only he had been black. It's not really a revelation that an athletics coach mentors or become a male authority figure in a poor community. In HS I had a talented teammate that couldn't keep his grades in order. He was kicked off the team, but my coaches still looked after him off the field just as they always did. He eventually graduated and took some college courses. He never graduated from college, but he's not another lost soul to poverty either. I have honored many bereavement requests from employees to attend a funeral of their former coach because I know the type of relationship they had. I felt he was stating the obvious. A big loss for that community. It's rare to find a H.S. coach with gifts necessary to win at an underfunded program and willing to be that father figure that so many need.
How do the East St John Fans feel now??? They Draw a scary Acadiana High team in the first round of the playoffs with NO Deauterive??? Maybe a little regret floating around now for spouting off at the mouth maybe?
Just Thought I'd give you guys a quick update on coach Deauterive.....I was told this weekend that it is a done deal, he is comming back to Opelousas High to coach once again. Thanks East St. John, coach deauterive is just what we need here in Opelousas.
