Editor,
I am deeply concerned about the decision to “fire” Penny Pemberton, for her mistake in using the F-word during a volleyball game. When an outsider looks at the facts of the situation, the only conclusion I can draw is that there is some other (concealed) reason that she was fired. If a coach was fired every time the F-word was used, there would probably be no coaches. I do not condone what she said, but the reasonable course of action would be to counsel her to not do it again, lest her position would possibly be terminated.
Penny is passionate about coaching girl’s volleyball and the team members support her. This is evidenced by her donating her personal time to coaching/attending games, the players supporting and responding to her coaching talent, and she donates personal time to fundraising for the team. I have seen her sitting by herself, at a parking lot, “selling spaces” during a downtown event, with the money going to the team!
Though I don’t know Penny extremely well, I know her and her family well enough to know that she is a caring and responsible person who simply made a mistake. Considering all that she’s done for the school and volleyball team, I believe she should be given a second chance.
Should the principal’s decision stand, I believe the community and Eureka Springs school system will be poorer for it.
Jean Reed