LIVONIA (WWJ) Emotions ran high at a Livonia School Board meeting where school officials addressed rumors about the sudden firing of a longtime and well-respected high school wrestling coach.
Dave Chiola—who was with the Livonia Public School District for 24 years— was terminated suddenly and without explanation on November 1st. He was a wrestling coach for the Franklin High School Patriots.
In a letter sent home to families of students on the wrestling team—and obtained by WXYZ-Channel 7— Franklin High School principal, Andrew Pesci, wrote:
“As we consistently share with our students, (adults) make mistakes in life and through these mistakes, lessons are learned…Coach Chiola continued to fall short of his own accountability and our expectations as a trusted adult for all students….Multiple opportunities were provided for Coach Chiola to learn and grow from past actions, but those expectations were not met.”
Chiola also spoke out at the meeting on the evening of Monday, November 18th.
“A letter went home to the parents, questioning my character. There’s a quote that said I’m not a coach who aligns with their visions and values for the wrestling program,” he said. "The man who wrote this letter does not know me well enough to make that statement."
The school would not give a reason for the firing.
“While Coach Chiola was asked not to share the reasons and details as to why he was relieved, the information you have included in your replies to Mr. Hall demonstrates that Coach Chiola has shown that he himself is above the rules and procedures that have been put in place,” the letter read.
Chiola added he was asked to lie by telling the community he resigned, which he said he would never do.
"Anyone who truly knows me knows I would never abandon my team a week before the season unless something was wrong with my daughter," he said. "If I had leukemia, I would schedule my chemo around practices. There's nothing that would keep me away from my team."
Rumors circled on social media that Chiola’s firing stemmed from controversy over locker room accommodations for a transgender-male student. However, a spokesperson for the Livonia School District said during the meeting the rumors are “completely false, inaccurate and without merit.”
“To be specific, the irresponsible commentary spreading online suggesting that a biological male student requested to use shower facilities in the presence of female student-athletes is not true,” she said. "The contention that access to locker room facilities for a transgender student athlete was the basis for the termination of the coach is also not true.”
Chiola told his side of the story.
“The oversight I made was I answered a phone call from an athletic director while subbing at Stephenson. Some students thought whatever I said must have been too mean spirited went to the assistant principal, who went to central office, who went to my athletic director, who fired me without due process,” he said. “What a teaching moment was passed up. I could have gone to the class on Monday, talked to the students on the importance of getting all the facts. Things were taken out of context. They only heard one side of the conversation.”
Chiola said he shared what happened with “some people close to him” to put an end to “horrific” and “even criminal” rumors.
“When you fire someone and say we can’t talk about it, people are obviously going to take the worst circumstances,” Chiola said. “I’m not going to stand idly by and let my character get dragged through the mud.”
Many students and parents showed up in support of Chiola.
Brody Stone had been on Chiola’s wrestling team for two years.
“Last year, I blew out one of my knees, and this year I blew out the other. As soon as I got the news my ACL and meniscus had been torn, he was the first person I called...I didn’t know what to do. He really helped me,” Stone said. “He hasn’t been in my corner for that many matches, but every single one, he’s been helping me do my best. I will always be grateful for every lesson and life skill he’s taught me.”
Rachel Reeves said her son met Coach Chiola in seventh grade while struggling with his weight and self confidence.
“Coach Chiola was the only one who got through to him. Through hard work and discipline, my son transformed. He struggled— he struggled so bad throughout school—physically, mentally,” Reeves said. “After working with Chiola, he went to states twice and graduated high school. If he were here today, he would tell you the only reason he graduated was because of Coach Chiola.”
The meeting erupted when an allegation— that remains unproven and unfounded--was made. The board was forced to a call a recess.
WWJ has reached out to police for comment on the allegation.
Livonia School District made the following statement at the start of the meeting:
“In our district, personnel decisions are made with integrity and based on a deliberative review of the circumstances that are present. While members of the board and district administration do not comment on or discuss an individual personnel situation, we have full confidence in our school and athletic administration as they move through this process.”