BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Embattled Bellevue High School Assistant football coach Pat Jones is fighting the school district's decision not to renew his contract and deflects blame at the district's athletic director instead.
Jones and his wife/attorney Marianne Jones filed a lawsuit against Bellevue School District Friday. The lawsuit references Bellevue schools' recommended penalties a few weeks ago, specifically that the district believes "internal remedies are sufficient" to ensure no further violations. View the filed lawsuit (.pdf)
Jones, who has coached high school sports in Bellevue for 34 years, was told last month that he was let go because of a violation of a school board policy that prohibits coaches from making extra money on football camps in the summer. Jones insists he took no money from the camps and says there is no violation of the rules because the summer camps are not technically considered a "season."
"We need to get this to stop," he said. "The reasons for terminating (head coach) Butch (Goncharoff) and the reasons for not bringing me back are the wrong reasons."
The allegations come as school officials also recommended the firing of Goncahroff, the longtime head football coach of the Bellevue Wolverines, over claims that he collected large sums of money from boosters which were not approved. That followed a scathing report alleging recruitment violations within the program.
"For 34 years I've been basically volunteering my time in the summer for football coaching, and now they're telling me 'you've taken money wrongfully'? That is not OK with me," said Jones.
A separate district investigation cleared Goncharoff of illegal recruiting activities.
In a newly filed complaint against the district, Jones and the coaches union claim Bellevue High School's athletic director Lauren McDaniel gave advice to an interviewing coach candidate to run summer camps and clinics through a private company or booster club.
KING 5 confirmed with multiple sources aside from Pat Jones that the exchange happened during interviews for the head girls basketball position.
No one with the Bellevue School District would respond to the allegations made by Jones and the coaches union.
A large turnout is expected at a Bellevue School Board meeting Tuesday night where the coaching scandal is supposed to be discussed among members. The board has yet to rule on the firing of Goncharoff and Jones.
