Investigation at Northside

[Football220]

Last night, as Burt Torrence changed his story and admitted to wrong doing to the Roanoke County School Board, Frank Dent officially resigned from his job. Now we learn the police have been part of the investigation for some time.

Burt's story has changed drastically from what he told his former players and parents in his Sunday's meeting when he announced he was going to resign because he was being "railroaded".

A very sad situation at Northside, but people need to be held accountable. Frank - Burt, I hope you both have good attonerys. However, I pray you both do the right thing and tell the truth and accept the consequences.

http://m.roanoke.com/news/local/roa...b91-db8a-5164-bd0f-061291b0496e.html?mode=jqm

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Wow, what a mess.

You know the old saying..., "if it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck"!

The sad thing is that the adults responsible for setting an example for the kids under their sphere of influence, are leaving a trail of disillusionment.

 

[CallMeCoach19]

Just a mess all around! AD's routinely supplement coaches pay with other stipends (or their own pay)...I just feel like there has to be WAY more to it than that. Also isn't that the third school in three weeks to have a shooting threat left in a ladies room? Northside, another in Roanoke County, and Giles High? WOW!

 

[cutnjump]

Just a mess all around! AD's routinely supplement coaches pay with other stipends (or their own pay)...I just feel like there has to be WAY more to it than that. Also isn't that the third school in three weeks to have a shooting threat left in a ladies room? Northside, another in Roanoke County, and Giles High? WOW!

Realistically, anonymous threats have supplemented pulling the fire alarms for kids looking for a day off, attention, etc. and the manner in which these events are publicized in the news only adds to the issue. Often times it is a top news story in print and/or media, however, the subsequent follow up and disposition is an inside page story with an often vague statement that the culprit was suspended but, nothing else. You give the initial threat less headlines, expel the perpetrators with identities disclosed widely in the media and tack on the threat of legal charges and I would guess the frequency of these actions would decrease fairly quickly. Just like the goings on with the adults at Northside, accountability and consequences is the most effective deterrent. From the reports already out, it is clear there was power concentrated in a few with accountability and checks and balances, if they existed, ignored and/or bypassed.

 

[RobberBrown]

I'm happy to see someone restart this thread since the first one disappeared after he resigned/talked with parents and players. I mean its great if you want to take up for him and say he did a lot of great things for his players, but that doesn't excuse what he did. This is a public message board, where people can openly express their opinions, agree or disagree, lets let everyone speak and say what they want, but don't just take the thread down because of peoples opinions.

That being said this is a serious crime and would not be tolerated anywhere at any work place, police should be involved and I expect there to be several people in some hot water. Do I expect anyone to serve time, NO, Do I expect Burt to coach again, Yes, but not for a while and probably not in this area. I've seen plenty of coaches make mistakes, disappear for a while, but because of his success some school/program will eventually give him another chance because of his winning ways. I do not agree with what he did but I will stand by and say that about 95% of all high school football coaches are way underpaid, along with teachers and other athletic coaches. I too would say this happens more often than people think.

 

[Valley Man]

Just a mess all around! AD's routinely supplement coaches pay with other stipends (or their own pay)... WOW!

WOW is right!! Where in the world do you live that AD's "supplement" coaches pay with other stipends or their own money?

 

[CallMeCoach19]

Southwest VA. If you don't think it happens you are fooling yourself. I know a football coach that was also Assistant Girl's Cross Country, Assistant Tennis, and Assistant JV wrestling coach. And I meant they use stipends to supplement their own pay. Not give their own pay to coaches. HAHA poor wording.

 

[RobberBrown]

Southwest VA. If you don't think it happens you are fooling yourself. I know a football coach that was also Assistant Girl's Cross Country, Assistant Tennis, and Assistant JV wrestling coach. And I meant they use stipends to supplement their own pay. Not give their own pay to coaches. HAHA poor wording.

Yeah a lot of the smaller schools, use the stipends on other sports if they don't have that program in fear that if they don't use them they could lose them in the future.

 

[cutnjump]

Southwest VA. If you don't think it happens you are fooling yourself. I know a football coach that was also Assistant Girl's Cross Country, Assistant Tennis, and Assistant JV wrestling coach. And I meant they use stipends to supplement their own pay. Not give their own pay to coaches. HAHA poor wording.

I would expect Roanoke County, and probably a lot of other localities, will be taking a long, hard look at stipends for upcoming periods. That look could just be a summary listing to identify overlap or potential areas of abuse, however, if taken to the highest level it could involve a complete reapplication/reexamination process for individuals receiving not only athletic but, academic stipends as well. Situations such as being reported at Northside tend to produce changes not only at the named school but, in other schools/districts that do not want to become the next headline.

 

[catchtds]

Stipends in all of athletics need to be reworked to match the year round rule by the VHSL. Coaches still get paid the same as 10 years ago and the expected work has increased!