Video shows Oakland JV football coach in altercation with student
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - A junior varsity football coach at Oakland's McClymonds High School is under investigation by the school district after a physical altercation with a student football player was captured on video.
The incident came to light Monday afternoon when someone sent cell phone video to KTVU and the Oakland Unified School District.
The confrontation takes place on a bus on the way home from a football game.
The school district has identified the man in the baseball cap seen in the video as junior varsity football coach De'Carlos Anderson.
As the student gets up, Anderson is heard telling him to sit back down. The coach is seen pushing the student and the altercation escalates.
"Incredibly disappointed to see this type of video from an adult. Someone who's in a position of trust and is uplifting, caring and nurturing students in a physical violent confrontation with a student was very distressing," said Oakland Unified School District Spokesman Troy Flint.
Flint says the student is a senior at McClymonds, but is not identifying him by name.
Flint says the incident happened on September 19th...as the football team was returning from a game in Crescent City.
The district says the 39-year-old Anderson has worked at McClymonds for four years, first as a substitute teacher, and now as a physical education teacher and coach of the junior varsity football team.
The district says it placed Anderson on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
KTVU showed the video to students and asked their opinion.
"Wow, I've never seen him like that before," said Mickey Sola, a senior.
Sola tells KTVU Anderson was her track coach that he is a mentor who respects his students.
"He was a really good coach, because he really pushed us to do better and he told us that, even when we thought we were doing bad, he made us feel like we were doing good," said Sola.
KTVU asked another student, Janaya Andrews, another senior if Anderson should be back on the job.
"Yes. He's actually a great coach," said Andrews.
On Anderson's LinkedIn profile, he says he also worked for Alameda County Youth Development as a case manager, youth and family counselor and project manager for gang intervention and prevention.
"Everybody who has viewed this video has been shocked. Not only that any adult was involved, but that it was this adult. But this doesn't excuse the action," said Flint.
He said the district has spoken with the coach.
When KTVU asked what Anderson's side of the story was, Flint said he couldn't say because it's part of the investigation by human resources and the school district's police force.