Coach fired for helping students promote protest
08:00 AM CDT on Tuesday, April 4, 2006
By Jeff McShan / 11 News
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A JV baseball coach has been fired because he helped students promote an immigration protest.
Some students and parents are now coming to his defense.
Even though our camera was quite a ways away, it was easy to see that members of the Chavez High School baseball team were going to miss having Rudy Rios around.
Last week, he was "Coach" Rios, but after the immigration protests that occurred last week, his status has changed.
KHOU-TV
Rudy Rios, former coach at Chavez High School was fired after supporting students during an immigration protest.
Rios was fired.
"I don't believe that was the right choice and I let them know right there and then," Rios said.
He was fired as coach because he made copies of a flier put together by students stating that Latinos must stick together during this immigration issue.
"And stay united, and that's why I did the copies. I mean it wasn't anything bad against the school," said Rios.
Making copies, however, was not only against school policy, but the flier also contained a four-letter word.
HISD spokesperson Terry Abbott told 11 News the principal made what he called the appropriate decision to fire him as coach.
Rios, who attended a town hall meeting on immigration featuring congressman Gene Green and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, says he plans to appeal. He says he misses his job on the baseball diamond.
He showed us dozens of signatures from both his players, other students, and even teachers that support him.
"They're like when are you coming back.. we need you you want you.. to me that's why i cant let this die and let it go.. because they're asking me.., and i teach them and tell them well you need to stand up for what you believe, stand up for your rights and then the teacher doesn't.. well that sounds to me like double talk," said Rios.
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