Bellevue Schools Violated Football Coaches' Union Rights: State Commission

BELLEVUE, WA - The state Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) last week ruled that the Bellevue School District violated the union rights of two former Bellevue High School coaches who were involved in a 2015 scandal involving falsifying players' addresses and a "diploma mill." Coach Butch Goncharoff and Assistant Coach Patrick Jones' rights were violated when the district changed employment conditions that were subject to collective bargaining, among other issues, PERC ruled.

In 2016, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) investigated Jones and Goncharoff and the football program after the Seattle Times exposed that: players were being sent to a private school so they could make minimum grades required to play football; middle schoolers and students from as far away as Tacoma were being recruited by coaches; and that the team's booster club paid for private tuition for players.

After the WIAA investigation was released last year, Bellevue tried to terminate Jones and Goncharoff, but they fought back, saying that they had been promised employment during the 2016 season. The coaches were placed on administrative leave, but were still paid a coaching stipend, according to PERC.

Among the allegations substantiated by PERC: Bellevue erred in restricting Jones and Goncharoff from "having contact with any coach, parent, or student associated with the employer other than union representatives"; and when it began more strictly enforcing a daily $500 summer pay cap, among other violations. PERC also struck down some union violations alleged by Goncharoff and Jones.

"The Bellevue School District is pleased that the [PERC] ruled in favor of the district in the majority of unfair labor practice claims made by the union, including but not limited to PERC’s findings that the district '…did not discriminate against (the coaches), did not unilaterally create a new summer season for coaching, did not refuse to bargain in good faith concerning employee wages, and that the union’s request for re­­­­instatement of (the coaches) is not warranted…'

"Additionally, PERC affirmed the District’s right to adopt its conflict of interest policy and also found that the District has “a legitimate interest in ensuring that its employees are not using their positions as district coaches to profit for themselves or for another private entity.” We recognize PERCs decision that the union was not given an opportunity to bargain this policy before it was implemented. The District is currently in the process of bargaining with the union about the impact of this policy," the district said in a statement.

Read the full PERC report here.

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