> SOUTHERN INDIANA — Seven Greater Clark County Schools board members had a chance to send a solid message to the children in their district Tuesday night. Four of them nailed it. Three others struck out.

A recommendation before the board called for the hiring of Matthew Rigsby as the Jeffersonville High School baseball coach, thus officially removing longtime coach Al Rabe. Problem is, policy for removing Rabe and other JHS coaches was never followed.

We’re not here defending Rabe or criticize Rigsby. That’s a conversation for the coffee shop crowd. Our concern — and what should be the concern of every member of the school board — is that the policy in place for removing coaches was simply ignored until the 11th hour.

It took new board member Mark Pavey to point out that Rabe had been given a letter stating his contract would not be renewed, but that he could reapply for the coaching position. According to Pavey, Greater Clark has a policy in place that calls for annual evaluations for head coaches, a preseason conference to discuss expectations and goals, discussions during the season, and finally, a meeting to discuss the evaluation.

Pavey claimed Tuesday night that he believes the process was never followed.

School Superintendent Stephen Daeschner confirmed that claim, adding that process was not followed for more coaches than just Rabe.

“I support the principal in making decisions regarding coaches,” Daeschner said at the time. However, Daeschner admitted, “I absolutely agree that process has not been followed.”

Pavey questioned the process of how a longtime coach was removed without due process. Daeschner confirmed that policy was not followed. And yet, three board members: Christina Gilkey, Nancy Kraft and Robbie Valentine voted to ignore the facts and hire Rigsby as the new coach.

Forget the fact that Daeschner and his team should have pointed out that due process had not been followed long before this issue came to a vote. That’s troubling enough.

Even more troubling is that board members Kraft and Valentine tried to justify their votes by saying the issue was all about the kids.

Gilkey made great points about keeping the process for coaches fair and consistent so “everybody knows what’s coming.” She then blind-sided the process by siding with Valentine and Kraft during the vote.

This board had a golden opportunity to provide a teaching moment for students that says taking shortcuts and circumventing the process isn’t appropriate. Instead, three of the seven members blew the call and ignored their own rules.

Kraft even turned around her nameplate at Tuesday’s meeting to reveal a sign that said, “Does this decision help kids?”

Only if your goal is to help kids learn that rules don’t need to be followed or that employees shouldn’t be treated fairly.

Fortunately Pavey, Becka Christensen, Kevin Satterly and Ernie Gilbert voted against the motion to hire Rigsby and it was defeated.

Satterly was right on the money when he said it is the board’s job to adhere to policy. Gilkey, Kraft and Valentine missed the mark when they wanted to change the rules of the game at the last moment and try to say it was somehow in the best interest of the kids.

— The Evening News’ editorial board is comprised of Publisher Bill Hanson, Presentation Editor Amy Huffman-Branham and Editor Shea Van Hoy. Responses may be e-mailed to shea.vanhoy@newsandtribune.com