At a special meeting in Georgetown on Wednesday night, the Indian River School District Board of Education voted 5-4 against a motion of no confidence in President Rodney Layfield.
The meeting was held following an incident at a Sussex Central vs. Hodgson Vo-Tech high school football game Sept. 17, during which Layfield made comments toward three Hodgson coaches that offended them. Audio of part of the interaction was captured on video, and when Hodgson Coach Darrell Lockhart shared it on social media, others joined the voices against Layfield’s actions, saying it was offensive.
Following comments from the public both in support of and against Layfield and discussion by the board Wednesday night, board member Constance Pryor made a motion to “take a vote of no confidence” in the president. It was defeated 5-4, with Layfield abstaining from voting.
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Layfield has not commented on the incident and said at Wednesday’s meeting he cannot until it is “adjudicated” by his employer, Delaware State Police. Delaware State Police spokesperson India Sturgis said earlier Wednesday their investigation remains active.
The exchange
The Sept. 17 incident began when Hodgson made an interception just before halftime. From atop of press box on the Sussex Central side of the bleachers, Hodgson coaches Darrell Lockhart, Jason Bassette and Kyle Taylor began cheering.
“Hey! Coach, stop cheering! You’re guests up there, show some class!” Layfield yelled.
After an inaudible exchange, Layfield said, “This ain’t New Castle County. Show a little respect.”
Lockhart said that he then used a profanity, to which Layfield replied, “Throw another ‘F’ bomb, you’re gone.”
When the coaches asked who would throw them out, Layfield said, “Me. Hey, you ain’t from around these parts, boy.”
The reaction
According to Lockhart, when he and his fellow coaches descended the bleachers, he approached Layfield, apologized for using profanity and shook his hand. Layfield did not apologize, Lockhart said.
“Knowing history and where I was at, in southern Delaware, I just felt like it was a threat,” Lockhart said. “Calling another man ‘boy,’ even outside of me being African American, it’s saying I’m less than you.”
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Bassette, who is also Black, concurred.
“As an African American male, that ‘boy’ word is demeaning to me, even just as a male period,” he said. “It’s saying that I’m beneath you.”
Taylor, who is white, was also offended by the use of the word “boy.”
“Everybody wants to back the blue, but they gotta back everybody else first,” he said. “You gotta look at everybody equally.”
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A few days after the football game, Indian River School District spokesman David Maull said in a written statement they “sincerely apologize for the disruption this incident caused” and that the district was investigating.
On Sept. 30, Maull issued the following statement:
“The Indian River School District believes that all individuals in attendance at district sporting events should behave in a respectful manner consistent with the values we attempt to instill in our students. It is imperative that all attendees behave in an appropriate manner and treat one another with respect. As such, the manner in which an individual board member interacted with the visiting team’s coaches during the Sussex Central vs. Hodgson football game on September 17 is not condoned. The Indian River School District is committed to creating a positive culture and climate that values and respects all individuals.”
Alexis Andrianopoulos, supervisor of communication and engagement for the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District, said the language directed at Hodgson coaches was “highly inappropriate,” but that they were confident Indian River would investigate the matter “appropriately.”
Indian River had a regular school board meeting Sept. 26, but Layfield did not attend and the incident was not addressed.
Following that meeting, board member Heather Statler issued a statement apologizing to the Hodgson coaches and the community.
“I do not support the behaviors, actions, words, tone or demeanor in which they were spoken to that evening by the President of the School Board,” she said in part.
Indian River announced last week it would hold Wednesday’s special meeting, with agenda items including “Incident at Sussex Central v. Hodgson football game” and “Confidence in Board of Education officer and possible change in leadership.”
The meeting
About 25 people attended Wednesday’s meeting, as well as the entirety of the Board of Education. Layfield, as president, lead the meeting. There were multiple opportunities for public comment and plenty of discussion by the board.
Layfield said he wished he could speak but couldn’t due to state police’s internal investigation.
“When I am able to speak about this, I will speak clearly and I will explain what’s going on,” he said.
When Pryor made a motion to ask Layfield to step down as president and put Vice President Legola Wright in his place, there were questions about the legality of the motion. Delaware School Board Association Executive Director John Marinucci was in attendance and was asked to speak on the matter.
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He called the situation “unprecedented” and said the board doesn’t have the legal authority to remove a school board member. They could, however, make a motion for a vote of no confidence, Marinucci said.
Pryor made the motion and board members Statler, Wright and Gerald Peden voted in its favor, while the five other board members voted against it. Layfield abstained.
Lockhart declined to comment following the meeting.
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