2wedge

Tod Stark should head home. I'm sure they'd welcome him with open arms.

What's needed? An increase in the UIL's power? Not at all. Leave it to the individual districts to punish with the advisement of the UIL.

No stinking way. Either you are a part of the program, which includes grades, classes, and the athletic period, or you are not. Athletics is a privilege that is not extended to those who aren't enrolled in the ISD.

This is what needs to happen. The community needs to use this time that has been afforded to them to ensure that the problems are eliminated going forward.

Grad, Do you think that Hudson things the public outcry won't be 10X worse if he goes that route? I believe that this thing is working itself toward a resolution that allows Coach Barbay to remain at JISD for, at least, next year. I agree with you that I think this is far from over, but I think it at least buys him a year to be on people's radars for future jobs. The wisdom here would be for Coach Barbay to pursue other jobs and leave, but I do not think he will do that. I truly believe he loves that community and his concern is not for his own employment, but rather for the stability of his daughters. The tragedy in this entire situation is that those two girls are caught in the middle of it all. One is a freshman at Jasper High School and had to ensure a week of classes under the immense pressure that this situation has brought to her family. When the Barbays took the Jasper job, Coach Barbay stood at the board meetings and boldly told the crowd that both of his girls would graduate from Jasper High School. This was done to assure the town of Jasper that they were not a stepping stone for him, but rather the culmination of a journey back home. I believe he meant those words and I believe that he will stay is there is any way to stay. Not just for the girls, but for his mother, his wife, and the rest of his family that is in that area.

Names?

Because they know that Barbay in Nederland is best case scenario for the Bulldogs. Everyone loves Barrow, and understandably so, but this would be a better option.

The point is the Super and school board president went on the radio and lied to the community. They knew full well what they planned to do and told everyone that "no decisions have been made". Bottom line, Super has a buddy that needs a job and he has arranged for a family to be sent into disarray in order to get his way. School board has a few members who wish to carry out their agendas and they don't care how it affects Coach Barbay, his wife, or his two daughters. It's absolutely classless and uncalled for. Like I said before, they will regret this decision for many years to come.

This is the most asinine thing I have ever read. How can it be that he would be reassigned for these reasons with no prior warnings or rebuke on the issues you have stated? This is truly an excuse that is being circulated by those who are well aware of the fact that they have wronged the Barbay family. I was privileged to play for Coach Barbay for two years (one when he was an assistant, and then the first year he was hired as a HC). That was 16 years ago so he was quite a bit younger and I would assume he was quite a bit less refined. Even then he did not exude the attributes that this post has assigned to him, so I have no reason to believe that his character has degraded over the past 16 years. He took over that team before my senior year when most of us seniors felt like we had been abandoned. He made it clear early on that we were in good hands and that he was the right man for the job. He invested in each one of us and had a special place in his heart for the kids on our team who didn't get the support they should have from home. I personally watched him load groups of kids into his truck after practice and take them home because their parents didn't come pick them up. I watched him pick those same kids up at 6:00 am in the summer to make sure they had a ride to the field house to lift weights or participate in summer practices. I watched him make guys miss practice so they could work with their teachers to improve their grades. I've seen him imbed himself in a community and work to make it better. I watched him start a girls softball program and make himself the head coach. He coached softball for years and really enjoyed it! He did all of this while serving as the athletic director, the head football coach, and teaching classes. No one is perfect, and Coach Barbay surely isn't, but to remove him from this position in Jasper for absolutely no reason at all is an injustice that shouldn't be overlooked. This is not something that the community of Jasper should be proud of and if it were me, I would ensure that each board member who is serving now would not be serving any longer once their term ends. I cannot bring myself to root against the kids of JISD, but I will sure as heck root against those adults who have done this. I really hope they get Garrett Morgan-ed again because that is exactly what they deserve. Barbays, on to bigger and better things. JISD has stolen a lot more from you than a job. This thing extends way beyond employment, but you guys are resilient and will bounce back. I am reminded of a phone call that I had with Coach Barbay right after he was hired as AD/HC at HD, and a few weeks after our previous head coach had left right before my senior year. He said to me: "I know you are disappointed in the way things have transpired, but you can either cry about it and waste one of the best years of your life, or you can fight like hell to be better than you have ever been to prove that this team is as great as we know it is. And if you make the decision to fight, I promise you I'll be fighting right beside you." He is the kind of man that doesn't just encourage you to fight, but stands shoulder to shoulder with you in the battle. He has fought beside lots of us, and now it's our turn to fight beside him. #BackTheBarbays

People would forget Barrow's name if Barbay were to be able to interview. Come on Nederland.....make the call!