We are calling for the immediate reinstatement of all Seniors that were dismissed from the GHS Boys LAX Team and for them to be allowed to play out their final HS career games. 

Please sign the petition and email Gorham’s Superintendent Heather Perry at Heather.Perry@gorhamschools.org 

Story:

Gorham High School Boys Lacrosse Program Peacefully Protests Against Abusive Coach.

As of 8am today, 7 Seniors from Gorham High School were dismissed from the Boys lacrosse team following a peaceful protest demonstrating unity and strength against abusive head coach Clayton Jones. 

Gorham Athletic Director, Tim Spear informed the boys this morning that Coach Clayton Jones  was fired from his position as head coach as of last evening.  Tim Spear, who’s son is also a senior on this team, informed the 7 peaceful protestors that they were dismissed from the team at 8am today, the morning of their last regular season game.

Coach Clayton Jones has a recorded history of verbal abuse to the Gorham Boy Lacrosse team. A few of these incidents were emailed and reported to both Tim Spear and Heather Perry, Superintendent of Gorham Schools. 

“Tim Spear has a history of not taking action when parents report an issue with a coach”.  Recalls Stacey Coleman, parent of team Captain and Senior, Bode Coleman.  “It seems that each Senior class has had issues with Clayton Jones and Tim Spear seems to just wait for the boys to graduate and sweep it under the rug.”

Tim Spear’s Son, was not removed from the team, as he did not take part in the peaceful protest.  However, Spear’s was a part of the meetings leading to this peaceful event.  

The protest took place on Tuesday May 30th at Waynflete Athletic Fields.  Coach Clayton Jones  had been giving the team the “silent treatment” since their Senior Night last Wednesday.  

“Apparently the boys upset Coach Jones when they wore eyeblack as a way to get pumped up about their final home game” Stacey Coleman reports.  “During the Senior Night Ceremony, Clayton Jones asked the rest of the team (non-Seniors) to remove the eyeblack, which they did.  The Seniors did not get this message until the team huddle moments before the start of the game.” 

As a punishment to those who wore eyeblack, Coach Jones did not speak to the team for the entire Senior Night game.  He persisted and did not speak at practice the following day.  The passive aggressive behavior continued when Coach Clayton Jones was a no show at practice Friday evening (May 26th).  On Monday Coach Jones broke his silence and informed the Seniors that they would not be starting the first quarter of the game against Waynflete Tuesday evening (May 30th). 

 The team had a Captain’s meeting prior to the game and decided that they wanted to have a peaceful team meeting with Coach Jones to discuss the situation.  Tim Spear got wind of the meeting and interrupted the boys.  “Tim Spear did not allow the boys to speak to Clayton.” Stacey Coleman recalls.  “Instead, he made the boys feel unheard, and furthered the abuse.” The boys even began their peaceful protest at the school where they stood in unity in front of the bus, attempting to talk with Clayton Jones and resolve the situation.  “At this point, Tim Spear should have done something.  He knew this issue was bubbling over, and did not take action.  He did not even bother to go to the game”.

“Tuesday’s game is where things got out of control.” Says Jesse Coleman, Bode Coleman’s Father.  “Clayton Jones, still not speaking to the team, instructed one of his assistant coaches to tell the boys that they would be sitting on the bench the entire game, not just the first quarter.”

“The boys were afraid of Clayton Jones at this point.  What kind of adult leader punishes via silent treatment?” (Stacey Coleman) Heart broken and with a desire to make their stories heard, the 7 Senior boys marched together to sit with their parents and cheer on their team from the sideline.  

“The Boys were scared of Jones”, Jesse Coleman recalls.  “They did not leave the team, they stood up against a bully and are now being punished for it.”

To make matter worse, Tim Spear’s wife, Mandy Spear began yelling at the boys and calling them quitters.  “I could not believe my eyes or ears”, Jesse Coleman recounts, “It was as if she thought she had authority over the boys because she is married to the athletic Director.” 

This caused an entire sideline brawl between parents of the players and Waynflete parents (who joined sides with the 7 Seniors), against Many Spear (Tim Spear’s wife). Spear’s son did not leave the bench, as he was not being punished because he apologized to Coach Jones prior to the game. 

“She was nasty and mean”, Nancy Mac Donald (grandmother of a Gorham Player) recalls.  “It was unlike anything I have ever witnessed.”

“Now the question comes into play, Is Tim Spear now only punishing the boys because he is embarrassed about how his wife acted at the game?” Stacey Coleman questions.  “Coach Clayton Jones is gone, clearly he left because he knew the boys were telling the truth.”  

As of now, the boys will not be allowed to play in their final game tonight for Gorham High School.  The 7 Seniors plan to go to the game to support their team.  

“This was not an act of defiance or lack of support of their team,” says Carrie Chasse, mother of Senior Captain Justin Chasse.  “It was the repeated abusive/bullying treatment they were receiving from the Coach. And the lack of support to address these issues by the Athletic Director, Tim Spear.  At the end of the day, it is Tim Spears responsibility and JOB to address the concerns of athletes and parents.  He did not.  Instead, he punished the athletes for voicing their concerns of the about the coach.”

"As a parent, educator, and former coach, I think it is very important to teach our children that there is a correct way to handle various problems that arise within an athletic team, or within any community.” Says Kellie Battaglia, parent of Senior Hayden Battaglia. “Our boys relied on the adults around them to help navigate the process. However, complaints made via that procedure were ignored and not only were the boys let down and continued to be exposed to an abusive environment, the coach was further empowered knowing complaints would be ignored. Their walk out was not an act of defiance, but rather desperation that someone address their concerns.”

Tim Spear admitted to me today”, Battaglia continues, “that he agrees that if he had addressed the concerns about Clayton Jones he had in my March 30 email that we probably would not have gotten to this point. I told him that I feel like being removed from the team after the coach got fired is retribution. If the boys needed to be punished, they could be sat out the first quarter again, with the ability to play in the remainder of the game. Tim Spear said “what is done is done” and that they are opening up a bullying and harassment investigation on Clayton Jones,  but the boys will not be reinstated to the team.”

“Clearly we are very upset.” Stacey Coleman says, “These boys have poured their efforts into the Gorham Lacrosse Program for so many years.  To have it all end like this, being punished for peacefully protesting against a Bully is unthinkable.”