CASD says no more appeals against Shreffler after latest decision

(Harrisburg) — Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court called a third strike on Chambersburg Area School District Wednesday, ruling against the district’s request to overturn two previous rulings that reinstated Trojan head basketball coach Shawn Shreffler.

District officials said they will pursue no further appeals.

Shreffler was separated from his coaching position by the district following the 2011-2012 basketball season. Two days later the Chambersburg Area Education Association filed a grievance on Shreffler’s behalf.

Writing for a three-judge panel, Judge P. Kevin Brobson upheld two arbiter awards — a June 2013 decision that Shreffler, as a district teacher, was protected by the district’s collective bargaining agreement, and the arbiter’s second award, issued in February 2014, that Shreffler be reinstated to his coaching position.

Brobson noted that the district’s April 2012 decision not to renew Shreffler as coach, reached in a 5-4 vote by school directors, was based on complaints by “1 or 2 disgruntled parents,” and that Shreffler was effectively dismissed without just cause.

Further, Brobson wrote that district assertions that Shreffler used “mild profanity” was cited by the district as a distraction.

The court noted that in her decision arbitrator Diana S. Mulligan cited Shreffler’s behavior as mild compared to “disgusting and egregious” behavior of a football coach who was not disciplined despite protests from the community.

Franklin County Court upheld the arbitration decision in the district’s subsequent appeal, prompting the appeal to Commonwealth Court.

In reaction to the court ruling, CASD Director Ed Norcross said it’s best for the district to drop its pursuit of Shreffler.

“This is the third independent entity to rule against the district in this matter,” Norcross said. “It is once again time to stop spending taxpayers funds in these appeals and accept the ruling, now of two courts, and move on. The school district legal teams are the only parties benefiting from these appeals.”

CASD Director Dana Baker said the decision came as no surprise.

“Based on what I know, I think it’s a big leap to remove coaches who work for the district from the bargaining unit,” he said.

At the time of his ouster as head coach, Shreffler coached his Trojan team to 241 wins from 1997 through 2012, winning two District 3 Class AAAA crowns, including one just weeks before his termination.

During his absence, the Trojans fell to last place in the Mid Penn Commonwealth Division.

“We received the court’s ruling and it is my recommendation to not proceed with any further action on this case,” said Joseph Padasak, superintendent. “The ruling provides those coaches who are members of the collective bargaining unit the right to arbitration; those who are not members do not have that right.”

Dale Heberlig can be reached at 717-262-4811.

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