Andover Superintendent Apologizes For Email Attachment Snafu

ANDOVER, MA -- Andover Public Schools Superintendent Sheldon Berman apologized Saturday for sending a copy of a confidential letter to volleyball coach E.J. Perry to a newspaper reporter. The letter outlined the results of an investigation into Perry's coaching tactics, as well stipulations he would have to meet if he wanted to keep his job as boys volleyball coach. The use of profanity and racial stereotypes, as well as demeaning comments about student athletes, were among the behaviors outlined in the letter.

In a statement, Berman said he had tried to send the Eagle-Tribune a copy of a letter that had been sent to parents but instead sent the reporter an unsigned, confidential memo. He said he tried to contact the newspaper after learning of his mistake but his attempts were unsuccessful.

"I accidentally attached the wrong file and sent the reporter an unsigned draft of a confidential personnel memo. I did not learn of my mistake until an article appeared online overnight with a link to the memo," Berman said. "This was an accident and a mistake on my part, and I sincerely apologize to Coach Perry and the community as a whole for my error."

Perry was taken off of administrative leave Friday after the conclusion of an investigation into "credible enough" concerns raised by four players about his coaching methods. As a condition of his reinstatement, Perry has to apologize to the team, work with Athletic Director William Martin to "develop coaching strategies to use the power of positive reinforcement to pursue winning but more importantly to teach life lessons that can be so powerfully learned through sports," and complete online sensitivity training.

More on this story:

• Investigation Finds Andover Coach Swore, Used Racial Stereotypes (April 21)
• Parent: Andover Volleyball Players Planned To Oust Coach (April 20)
• Player Boasted About Defying Coach's Order On Social Media(April 18)
• Allegations Against Andover Coach Followed Benching (April 17)
• Andover Places Volleyball Coach On Administrative Leave (April 16)

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Patch file photo of Sheldon Berman.