TOOELE — Shanz Leonelli either was a devoted baseball coach who put the well-being of his players before winning, or he was irresponsible because some Tooele High School baseball players allegedly videotaped sex with a girl at a tournament.
Such diverse and passionate opinions of Leonelli were expressed Tuesday night in a packed room of about 60 people at the Tooele School District offices. The public hearing was in response to Leonelli's resignation as Tooele High's baseball coach.
Leonelli stepped down as the coach Friday as authorities continued to investigate the videotape that was turned over to school authorities and then police by a parent. Leonelli will continue to teach journalism and English at Tooele High.
No one has been charged in connection to the incident, which allegedly occurred in a St. George hotel room during a March 11-13 tournament. According to KSL-TV, a police investigative report will be delivered to the county attorney later this week. Then prosecutors will consider possible charges.
The county attorney also said prosecutors have been assigned to handle four people in juvenile court and two 18-year-old people in adult court.
As Tuesday's public meeting began, a statement was read representing views of the school board.
"We find Mr. Leonelli's resignation regrettable but believe it is likely in the best interest of moving the baseball program at Tooele High School forward," the statement said.
"Mr. Leonelli is a fine young teacher at THS, is of high moral character and of unquestioned ethical standing. All information available to us leads us to believe that his work as baseball coach at THS was appropriate and honorable."
Leonelli did not want to attend Tuesday's meeting, said his representative, Edward Watson, a retired judge.
Leonelli's resignation after coaching for four years was the result of "political pressure," Watson said. "It was unhappy parents who didn't see their children play. And old-timers" who don't have all the facts.
"He was asked to resign by the superintendent," Watson said, who added the administration has "failed him."
Those sentiments were echoed by parents such as Tom Poyner, who also read statements on behalf of other parents who could not attend Tuesday's meeting.
"He was asked to resign, pressured to resign — making it easy on everyone else," Poyner said.
The boys are responsible for the alleged actions in the hotel room — not the coach, he said. Poyner rhetorically asked whether parents of children who make mistakes should be forced to resign as mothers and fathers.
The coach is not expected to act as a parent or baby-sit, said Rhonda Larsen, whose children have played sports.
"I know if it was my son, I would be very, very angry at him. Not the coach. Not the school board," Larsen said.
But John Witkowski said although "kids will be kids," the responsibility lies with those in charge of supervising them.
Witkowski also was angry that no other adults, specifically people in administration, have been sanctioned because of the alleged videotape.
The school district's superintendent, Dr. Larry Shumway, said he does not expect further disciplinary actions against adults.
"It looks like the actions of the administration were appropriate," he said, declining to further explain.
Myra Lockie has a son on the baseball team who is not involved with the alleged videotape. She wonders whether some of the school district rules were lax at the tournament, such as the coach allegedly staying on a different floor from the team. She could not find such policies by the school district on the Internet.
"I wrote several of you e-mail and never received a response back," she said to the school board. "I don't know if you're just not being responsive to the taxpayers."
She specifically mentioned Shumway as not responding. Shumway later said he was being responsive to residents by having such a meeting to gauge their opinion.
Tuesday's meeting was specifically planned to listen to the public, school board member Julia Holt said. Today is the board's regularly scheduled meeting.
However, Shumway did not know whether the issue would be discussed. It is not on the agenda.
Contributing: KSL-TV; E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com