DYER BROOK, Maine — A scheduled meeting between the RSU 50 school board and a Southern Aroostook baseball coach and athletic director who was placed on paid leave on May 15 was scrapped at the last minute Monday evening, after one of the parties opted out of the session.
Murray Putnam, who was supposed to attend the meeting with his legal counsel, canceled the session through a tersely worded letter read at the meeting.
Putnam said in the letter that he was content to stay on leave through June 30, which is when his contract ends.
He thanked those who have supported him over the past month, but did not say if he would continue talks with the board or what his next steps will be after his contract runs out.
When contacted after the meeting, Putnam declined any further comment.
“The letter speaks for itself,” he said.
While Interim Superintendent John A. Doe has not indicated why Putnam was placed on leave, speakers at a school board meeting last Monday made references to inappropriate pictures that were posted online after the annual preseason spring baseball trip to Boston. Speakers and some community members indicated that they believed the photos may have included possible instances of hazing.
As head coach, Putnam has oversight responsibilities for the team. Players involved in the incident reportedly have been disciplined.
Doe said last week that he could not comment on remarks about hazing, but said that “the district has all of the appropriate policies in place” related to what was discussed at the meeting.
During last week’s meeting, more than 60 people jammed the cafeteria at Katahdin Elementary School. A number of people spoke in support of the coach.
Putnam has been coaching for 44 years. He has served as the school’s athletic director for the last 39 years.
Doe said on Monday evening that he could not comment any further on Putnam’s actions.
RSU 50 serves the communities of Crystal, Dyer Brook, Island Falls, Stacyville, Patten, Merrill, Oakfield and Smyrna.
The coach needs to hire Joe Bornstein.
Can we hear what the “tersely worded letter” said? I am assuming it was read in public session, or else you wouldn’t know how it was worded.
I can think of a few reasons at this point in time, why he might not want to push the issue any further. One the season is over, two he is frustrated, and three, maybe, just maybe, there might be something to these charges that he doesn’t want made public.
Just guesses. I would like to hear the contents of the letter to better draw a conclusion.
I was there. The superintendent read it and we could barely here it. I saw the reporter reading it so I went up and read it, too. “Tersely worded” is correct. Mr. Putnam said that the process had “deprived him of his duties” as coach and athletic director and he had decided not to meet w/ the board. He then said he would remain on leave until June 30, which is when his contract ended. He thanked supporters. That’s it. It was about three sentences. Several people came up to read it and asked the superintendent “Is this it?” “Is he done?” and there was no answer.
If a member of a school district has been put on leave for any reason what so ever, the community has every right to know why and for what……..these are the people who are in charge of our kids and should be held to a higher standard no matter what…
I would like to know when these students stop needing a 24 hour baby sitter? If they are old enough to go on a trip of this caliber they are old enough to know there are consequences to their actions. Putting the blame on the coach should NOT be that consequence.
The superintendent in one district was arrested twice for drunk driving and kept on. A school nurse was fired in another for alleged breach of school policy and had to fight for years to keep the job. It all depends on who you are, which district it is and how the “old boys'” network there operates.
In this case, I suspect that had the former superintendent not retired, Coach Putnam would not have been suspended. Everything would have played out behind closed doors and no one would have known.
mr putnam was a great teacher in my opinion. but his boys was his teacher pets. this stuff has been going on for years with closed eyes. even his principal was one of his boys wonder if he remembers anything happening back when mr putnam was his coach. wonder where coach and chaperones were looking back in mid to late ninety’s when a plaer was given a wedgie and hung on a hook on the same bus for part of the trip to boston. don’t get me wrong mr putnam was a great teacher but he is not totally innocent on what goes on on these trips. probably gonna hiss off lot of so called uppity class on here but oh-well.
hahahaha Thats funny! I thought that only happened in movies when the bully would take the nerd by the underwear and hang them on a hook. I hope someone got a picture as proof!
Eyes have not been closed in the past, the administration was well aware of all that went on during these trips and supported the coach and said it is ok, boys will be boys, but now that lawyes are involved the spineless admin is pretending to be shocked, perhaps the past trips and the administration’s knowledge need to be investigated, it seems only fair as everyone connected with the school knows the principal has been more than aware about what has been happening for years and said that’s ok until now. Why would the coach think this trip would have been any different? He did nothing different then what was always considered acceptable before, but now those who supported him before have turned their cowardly backs on him.
dfsg
This is a typical Putnam move. This shows just the type of “classy” guy he is. Get’s all these people out there to support him. Take the time out of their day and lives to go and stick up for him… and what does he do? Decides to just stay on leave till his contract runs out and doesnt give any sort of reasoning to the people that supported him… Can’t say I didn’t expect him to make a move like this.