We, the undersigned--comprising parents, students, alumni, and taxpayers of the Rochester Public Schools district--submit this formal Petition to request the immediate removal of Jim Daly from his position as head Boys Basketball Coach at John Marshall High School. 

The John Marshall Boys Basketball program has a storied history of developing talented players and promoting the spirit of sportsmanship and competitiveness. However, recent times have seen a decline in team performance, a drop in player morale, and an unsettling lack of transparency in the leadership decisions within the program. 

Our objective is to restore the integrity, equity, and competitive viability of the basketball program. The current leadership has demonstrated a consistent pattern of behavior that violates the district's mission to inspire and empower ALL students.

We specifically request that these leadership changes be enacted immediately to ensure a new coaching staff is hired and in place prior to June 1, 2026. This timeline is critical to allow for a proper summer development program before the 2026-2027 season. 

We submit that Coach Daly's tenure has been characterized by the following specific failures of leadership:

1. Systemic Nepotism & Conflict of Interest
   • The program suffers from a verifiable lack of meritocracy. Roster spots, playing time, and developmental attention are disproportionately awarded to direct family members.  This nepotism creates a conflict of interest where personal family advancement is prioritized over the success of the team and the fair treatment of other qualified student athletes. 
2. Mismanagement of Summer Programming ("Daly Camp")
   • The summer camp and training sessions, paid for by families, are being operated inequitably. 
     • Discriminatory instruction: instruction is heavily biased toward a pre-selected group of favored players and family members
     • Pay -to-ignore environment: other athletes attending are largely neglected during drills and scrimmages. This misuse of summer programming stuns the growth of the broader player pool and alienates families who are investing time and money into the program. 
3. Failure of Youth Development & Pipeline Destruction
   • The current coaching philosophy has eroded the youth talent pipeline. By prioritizing a small inner circle and excluding others at the youth level, the program effectively "hollows out" its own future. Many promising young athletes have quit the sport before reaching high school because they perceive no path to fair competition. 
4. Toxic Culture & Retention Issues
   • The perception of bias has created a discouraging environment. This has resulted in significant retention issues, with athletes leaving the program not due to lack of skill but due to lack of trust in the leadership. 

John Marshall deserves a basketball program that not only competes at a high level but also uplifts the students and instills in them lifelong values such as teamwork, integrity, and resilience. We urge the concerned authorities to take immediate action in reviewing and, if necessary, changing the leadership to better serve our students and uphold the legacy of John Marshall Boys Basketball.

Please join us in supporting this change by signing this petition. Together, we can make a difference and steer the John Marshall Boys Basketball program back to its path of excellence.