Chaney parents speak on canceled football season at Youngstown school board meeting

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

Chaney parent Samantha Anderson briefly explained what happened following the Chaney vs. East Middle School football game at Rayen Stadium. Anderson was critical of how the school district announced the season’s cancellation done yesterday by news release.

“But their stuff was destroyed — not only phones, bookbags, etc. — and then they’re being taunted,” Anderson said. “How would you feel if it was your kid getting talked about and you have to hear that from them saying, ‘Why would they treat us like this?’ I just don’t think that’s fair and that wasn’t right and that wasn’t a good call at all.”

Chaney parent Shay Henderson said there were only about 10 kids involved and didn’t think it was fair that the actions of a few should result in the season’s cancellation. Henderson said she called the school board three times on Friday.

“To try to get some type of conflict resolution in place for these two schools because taking the season away, you did that, but the conflict is still there,” said Henderson.

Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor agreed something needs to be done.

“And work together on some conflict resolution, some character education, some training,” he said.

Batchelor will be meeting Wednesday with all the coaches involved. He said the cancellation was not punishment.

“This is about discipline and about enhancing our structure and our standard in this district,” Batchelor said.

Batchelor also said this is not the end of the issue. It’s not about making one decision and he plans to move forward and address the underlying concerns.

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