Albert Lea fires two coaches after investigations

Published 11:26am Tuesday, May 8, 2012
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ALBERT LEA — The Albert Lea school board terminated the head girls’ basketball coach and the head boys’ tennis coach after separate investigations.

Sean Gillam, an English teacher at Albert Lea High School, lost his coaching position with the girls’ basketball team but is still on paid administrative leave for his teaching position until disciplinary actions are finalized.

Gillam has been on paid administrative leave since late January and an investigation has been ongoing. Superintendent Mike Funk would not comment on the nature of the investigation. The decisions came after a 20-minute discussion closed to the public, which the board can do when discussing personnel issues under Minnesota statute.

The board also fired Wayne Prudoehl, who is not a teacher with the district. Prudoehl held the boys’ tennis coaching position until he was placed on paid administrative leave a week ago following an incident on April 27. He told the Albert Lea Tribune he addressed the team using profanity after students were found throwing garbage out of a bus window. Prudoehl said a parent who witnessed Prudoehl’s behavior reported him to Albert Lea School District Activities Director John Double. The decision came after a 10-minute discussion closed to the public.

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  • jmdaniel

    So what happened to the kids that were tossing garbage out of the bus window? Were they thrown out of school? Maybe the parent that turned in the coach can have those kids come live with him/her; that way they could be sure that no profanities are used when they are acting up.

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  • scottb

    If profanities are a firing offense for employees are they suspendable offenses for students? At least he had the guts to admit what he did.

    But I wonder if the parents who turned him in thought he would be fired. Maybe they just wanted him counseled about his language?

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  • leftthehatebehind

    This is ridiculous. In this case, I hope he takes the school to court over this or something. Maybe swearing wasn’t the right way to handle it, but is sure as hell isn’t something you would fire them over. I hope something was done about the students throwing garbage as well….

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