Chaney parents speak about football season cancellation at Youngstown school board meeting

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Members of the Chaney Middle School football team, along with coaches and parents, attended the Youngstown School Board meeting Tuesday where they discussed the cancellation of the football season.

Chaney parent Samantha Anderson briefly explained what happened after the Chaney vs. East Middle School football game at Rayen Stadium. Anderson criticized the way the school district announced the season cancellation via press release yesterday.

“But their stuff was destroyed — not just their phones, their school bags, etc. — and then they’re being bullied,” Anderson said. “How would you feel if it was your child being bullied and you had to hear them say, ‘Why are they treating us like this?’ I don’t think that was fair, that wasn’t right and that wasn’t a good decision at all.”

Shay Henderson, a Chaney parent, said there were only about 10 children involved and she didn’t think it was fair that the actions of a few led to the season being canceled. Henderson said she called the school board three times Friday.

“To try to find some kind of resolution to the conflict between these two schools, because by canceling the season you did that, but the conflict is still there,” Henderson said.

Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor agreed that something needed to be done.

“And let’s work together on conflict resolution, on character education, on training,” he said.

Batchelor will meet with all affected coaches on Wednesday. He said the cancellation was not a punishment.

“It’s about discipline and improving our structure and our level in this district,” Batchelor said.

Batchelor also said the issue was not about one decision and that he planned to move forward and address the underlying concerns.

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