Deseret News | Reader comments: Ex-Lone Peak coach disciplined for role in altercation

Reader comments
Ex-Lone Peak coach disciplined for role in altercation

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Without Pay | 12:23 a.m. March 27, 2008

Why did they suspend his pay? If you are simply investigating an incident, why was a more punitive measure such as a pay cut implemented, or is Alpine showing it's cheap-sidedness once again? Hopefully, they will reimburse his back pay.

Videotaping in locker room? | 12:26 a.m. March 27, 2008

What is a student doing with a video camera in a locker room? To me, that is what is disturbing about the whole thing.

Anonymous | 1:55 a.m. March 27, 2008

Kudos to the coach. I don't even know the guy but anyone that will step up and break up a fight has my support 100%.

I, too, am troubled by the thought of a camera in the boys locker room. Who is taking pics in the locker room?

That is who should be punished and fined in this incident...

Comments continue below

jd | 4:42 a.m. March 27, 2008

Give the coach a break. He's breaking up a fight by two punks. You can tell they are disrespectful by the foul language they are using toward him. I say good for the coach. Now give him his two days pay back!!

Cell Phone | 6:20 a.m. March 27, 2008

IT was a cell phone not a video camera.

Anonymous | 6:51 a.m. March 27, 2008

I am sure the cell phone has been used to record many choice things at school (tests, fellow students in various states of dress or undress). That is what kids do these days, then post it on YouTube to harass their peers. The foolish thing the kid did was leave his voice on the video along with a second student so he can be tracked down and be sued or expelled.

Yes the videotaper could be sued, and the boy who was the troublemaker might want to pursue that tact after the harassment he received from the posting over on YouTube from his fellow classmates. This is a clear case of technological bullying that was surprisingly not aimed at the coach. The coach also has some argument with a lawsuit against the kid videotaping.

Sad | 7:09 a.m. March 27, 2008

they need to give him his days paid back, and they need to discipline the kid who was videoing in a locker room.

RESPECT | 7:13 a.m. March 27, 2008

I got out of teaching because of the verbal content in schools. Coach Morgan must have incredible self control to stay this composed breaking up a fight and putting up with that language. I have always admired his composure.

dbf | 7:41 a.m. March 27, 2008

So the coach should have let the boys continue fighting while he went and got the principle? I thought that the coach did his job in stopping a fight. He should be getting a bonus for going the extra mile.

Floghim | 7:40 a.m. March 27, 2008

The student needs to be expelled permanently. Fighting with a teacher is never acceptable under any circumstances.
The reason I could never teach, is because that kid would have a broken jaw if I had been the coach.
His parents should be ashamed that they have brought up their child so poorly.

Joe Moe | 7:52 a.m. March 27, 2008

I am pleasantly surprised to see that everyone here understands that the coach was in a tough spot, and acted reasonably, despite the potentially incendiary video clip.

I hope the one who put this on YouTube, especially labeling it "abuse," sees the community reaction and feels ashamed. He was probably expecting some kind of lash out against the coach, but it has backfired.

Anonymous | 8:00 a.m. March 27, 2008

Sorry buddy but a cell phone with a camera IS A VIDEO CAMERA!

Save the coach!

He should get a reward!

Loser | 8:03 a.m. March 27, 2008

The person who posted this video is a loser. They're trying to make it look like Morgan did something wrong. He deserves a lot of credit for trying to resolve a volatile situation. Had he not stepped in, who knows what might have happened. I'm disgusted that someone is using this out-of-context video to try to make him look bad. Well, I think it backfired. The only bad part is the name of low budget person who took the video, posted the video and the kids in the fight haven't had their names posted all over the world.

Anonymous | 8:34 a.m. March 27, 2008

The coach should sue the person who posted this video for defamation of character.

Anonymous | 8:30 a.m. March 27, 2008

The coach handled this in the way he thought best, but it was not the best and only way to handle it. He was wrong and that is why he was suspended. The administration made the right decision. The coach should have used his brain more and his brawn less.

relate | 8:54 a.m. March 27, 2008

I can relate. I'm also a teacher/coach at another school and had a student hit me in the chest with his closed fist because I wouldn't let him into the faculty room to get a soda. When I told the Principal, he suspended the boy for a half day. Good job Coach Morgan, I would have done the same thing. I hope they find out who the student was that recorded it and put his name and face on the news.

Suspended without Pay? | 8:58 a.m. March 27, 2008

Congrats to Alpine School District & Lone Peak Admin. for once again for showing their true colors. Why would you want to work for them as a teacher? The doc your pay for breaking up a fight? Sounds like they really have their priorities straight. YOU GUYS ARE THE WORST DISTRICT IN THE WHOLE STATE!

Go Coach | 9:10 a.m. March 27, 2008

I hope you sue the district! Breaking up a fight and now your in trouble. Just another example of the animals running the zoo and the lack of support from administrators. I had a friend who didn't break up a hall fight and they went after him for that. You just cannot win as a teacher. I hope all you out there thinking about teaching take note of this. It is just another reason to bail! You see it goes way beyond pay##

Cynical | 9:51 a.m. March 27, 2008

I'm just waiting to hear from the rich parents objecting to the coach wanting to break up a fight and get the kids to actually go to class. After all, what does an actual education matter to those parents?

sevier co resident | 10:09 a.m. March 27, 2008

sorry alpine school dist isn't the worst district, that dubious honor belongs to Sevier School Dist. They are the cheapest in the USA. Coach Morgan Is lucky he did not work here they probably would have fired him for doing the honorable and right thing. That is whats wrong with the whole process, spineless administrators. Stand up for your people and stand up for what is right. Congratulations to you coach Morgan The people of this state are with you. Hold Firm.

Helloooooo | 10:45 a.m. March 27, 2008

Cellular telephones often have cameras in them. Where are people living? We live on earth.

Pete | 10:42 a.m. March 27, 2008

Coach Morgan is a class act that was put in a bad spot by the district and the rich snobs at Lone Peak. He has been continued to show class even after "resigning" as football coach and continued to teach the students at Lone Peak. We are very excited to have a man of his character our first football coach at Salem Hills. Monte keep doing what you do and you will continue to be successfull.

J | 10:44 a.m. March 27, 2008

In 1966 I was a little s. in junior high. The Asst. Principle at Riverview Jr. High had completely had it with me. Mr. Hoflien held me off the floor up against the wall and told me in terms I could understand that he had enough of me and my behavior. I can only thank Mr. Hoflein for taking an interest in me. It was the last time I ever had to be TALKED to by a Principal. Not a pleasant experience for sure but I deserved it and my parents said I deserved it. If I am that kids parents I am very thankful to Coach Morgan!

Oren | 10:53 a.m. March 27, 2008

Hey folks,
It called 1984. 30 years too late and it's not the government doing the snooping, it's your fellow citizens who conveniently only bother to tape part of what happened and then make it look like this is all that happened. Isn't video editing wonderful.

Get cell phones out of schools. Period!

Anonymous | 10:55 a.m. March 27, 2008

It sounds like from the news reports that the parent of the student restrained by Coach Morgan is reasonable (and this is great to hear for a change).

When I taught years ago at West HS one of my colleagues had to physically restrain a student who wanted to go and attack another student. He actually had to wrestle him down to ground and he pinned him to the floor in the same manner Coach Morgan pinned the young man in question against the wall. What was scary was that some other students started kicking the teacher.

Sometimes physical force is needed to restrain a student bent on harming someone else, himself or another teacher. Coach Morgan did say "Shut up" a couple of times but did not say any profanity, that came from the student.

I do not support Coach Morgan being docked two days pay. I think this decision is wrong. He did nothing wrong.

With youtube and kids with cameras, that's what is scary about teaching. Anything can be taken out of context. It doesn't show the two youths fighting, it only shows the part that might make the teacher look bad.

Video taping | 11:41 a.m. March 27, 2008

There was a fight between two students, and by the time the kid got his phone out to record the fighting, it was down to the coach holding the kid who was freaking out...

You people act like it is creepy that the kid has a video recorder on his phone and wanted to film a fight...almost all phones had video recorders now, and almost all high school boys want to have video proof of fights...

The only wrongdoing in the whole situation is the kid who was mouthing off to the coach....and posting it on youtube might have been a little too much, but it makes for entertainment for me...

Jason | 12:01 p.m. March 27, 2008

I for one am glad the coach is gone. I haven't ever had a child at Lone Peak, but I am amazed by the blind arguments that this guy could do no wrong. If a coach slugs a kid, he sould be called out. I watched the video and he hit the kid, plain and simple. Also, people blaming the kid who took the video are also wrong. People should have a right to video injustice by authority, and there shouldn't be a 'free area' where, in the coaches word "I can do anything I want because you are attacking me"...get real!

Lone peak football fan | 12:06 p.m. March 27, 2008

Its to bad coach Morgan or any teacher has to put up with this kid. Part of me wishes he would have slapped him around a little and enforced some further discipline (something the parents have never done). Good Luck to Coach Morgan as you will be missed @ Lone Peak HS

Cell phones & cameras | 12:20 p.m. March 27, 2008

Yes, cell phones & cameras destroy a students opportunity to learn and be disciplined in the right way. I have always said, "Get the cell phones out of schools, period." I checked My Space one Monday morning at 10.30 AM at a local high school where my grandkids attend and half of the kids were on line, doing WHAT! By the way I would like to hang a medal on Coach Morgan, he should have washed that kids mouth out with SOAP.

Headline | 12:14 p.m. March 27, 2008

I think the headline on this story is deceiving, just like the headline on the youtube clip. Morgan was not disciplined. He was simply suspended until the district investigated. Once it found no wrongdoing, he was able to return to school. That's just common-sense policy to allow cooler heads to prevail. It doesn't mean he was disciplined. The paper should apologize for this headline.

Dong | 12:14 p.m. March 27, 2008

Thats the problem with Lone Peak, the kids are enabled to do whatever they want cause some of thier parents have fanageled some money somewhere. The students view themselves as beholden to no one. I have friends there who's kids come out of that school hooked on heroine and other drugs because they have no boudaries or accountability.

me | 12:33 p.m. March 27, 2008

cell phones in our school are agianst the rules. Kids still sneak them in Im sure. The problem is not only video but texting 24/7 kinda hard to listen in class when you answer text every second. Any parent that allows a kid to bring cell phones to school should reconcider.
I teach and coach and I would like to hear more from anonymous that said the coach should use more brain and less brawn. I think he did both...his brain said I need to stop this now before someone gets hurt, only one way to break up to boys in a fight, get in the middle of it and stop it. Anonymous tell us what you would have done.

Science Teacher | 12:37 p.m. March 27, 2008

I can do anything I want because you are attacking me"

It's called Utah state law. Might want to bone up on that.

Legal Beagle | 1:02 p.m. March 27, 2008

I never thought it would come to this. A comment thread on the DesNews in which everyone is in agreement. I guess I've lived to see everything now! So just to rock the boat, you're all wrong. He should have let the kids duke it out, bash each others' skulls in, watch them both pull knives or worse, and enfilade each other. Who did he think he was, stepping in and doing the right thing? I mean, really, who does that anymore? Did he miss the last 40 years of moral relativism that should have purged any sense of right and wrong from him years ago? What would the world be like if everyone, without permission from local or national administrators, independently exercised good judgment and did what was right, as this radical former coach did? Anarchy! Chaos! School officials should immediately implement more stringent impediments on teachers' common sense, or we may see more of this disruptive proper use of discipline and self-restraint. Moral relativists must unite to curb interference with locker room Darwinism.

CHANGE THINGS!! | 1:14 p.m. March 27, 2008

The Coach was suspended without pay! The investigation was over two weeks ago, but he still didn't get his pay. That is WRONG!

If you think this was wrong, CALL ALPINE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TELL THEM SO! I posted this comment a few minutes ago with the phone number but the moderator blocked it probably because of the phone number. ASD is in the WHITE pages.

TELL THE SUPERINTENDANT THAT TEACHERS NEED HIS SUPPORT, NO PUNISHMENT! You may not get through to him, but do SOMETHING!

NOTHING WILL CHANGE if people who believe the coach was right in restraining the kid just sit around on their computers complaining and don't ACT. I know teachers who will now close their classroom doors if they see kids fighting. I hope my kid isn't an innocent bystander comeday who gets hurt because teachers get punished for doing THE RIGHT THING!

SO CALL THE DISTRICT! AND elect school board members who agree with you! Go ahead - the phone book is online these days!

I know Coach Morgan | 1:21 p.m. March 27, 2008

He is a great man. He did the right thing here.

I wish the admistration would stand up and support him. They are covering their backsides...

Take a stand. Too many people are unwilling to do so.

Salem is getting a man who cares and will make a difference.

To: Jason | 1:21 p.m. March 27, 2008

Why don't you go teach school Mr. Know-it-all. "In justice by authority?" (for breaking up a fight?)

Christy | 1:39 p.m. March 27, 2008

I would like a statement from the Alpine School District explaining exactly what the coach should have done in this situation. That this whole thing ever got past two kids getting kicked out of school for fighting is hard to understand.

mymy | 1:43 p.m. March 27, 2008

todays children (especially the big tough athletes)are a bit pampered. poor little things.

To "Jason" | 1:52 p.m. March 27, 2008

You should enlist in the Marines! You could use a little discipline. Then you might appreciate that "authority" is important and one way we protect ourselves from anarchy! The teacher thought he had the authority (and so did I) to stop a fight. It was only AFTER the fight that we realize his own school district does't want teachers to stop violence.

If the kids hadn't been fighting and no one had taped it, this story would have been over two weeks ago. The kids were both suspended and the mom agreed with it.

But because someone posted it on YouTube,it's become a hot news item that has hurt a good man's reputation.

GI Joe | 1:55 p.m. March 27, 2008

This is why I decided to go Active Army and quit the teaching profession after twenty years. I rather go to Iraq and deal with jihadists than punk kids and parents who are living their teenagers lives vicariously.

Let It Play Out | 2:03 p.m. March 27, 2008

The coach should have let the two punks keep fighting - called the police - and then have the police arrest them both for assault. Let them spend some time in juvenile hall and create an arrest record for them to figure out in the future what to do about their stupidness.

Scoobie | 3:12 p.m. March 27, 2008

Good job coach, regardless of how politically uncorrect the whiners of this generation may try to portray you...... you did the right thing. You're welcome at my fire anyday.....and welcome to the neighborhood.......... Payson's just over the hill.

LP Student | 3:18 p.m. March 27, 2008

First of all, you people who watch the video have no clue what went on before that in the locker room. the two boys were fighting and coach went to break it up and the boy you see in the video punched him and started swearing at him. that's when coach tried to restrain him and you see him holding him against the wall. his mom has already said that he deserved what he got and her son had it coming to him. he has been going around school saying horrible things that didn't happen and is trying to hurt coach.
i agree with many of you that there should not be filming going on in the locker room but do you actually expect that we as students obey every rule put in front of us?
those of you who have put a stereotype on LP and Alpine residents for being "rich, stuck up snobs" your wrong, i live in alpine and my family and lots of the people around me aren't wallowing in wealth, doing whatever we want because we're rich. its the people that are arrogant who cause us to be hated by other schools.

Reader | 3:30 p.m. March 27, 2008

Another example of the animals running the zoo. Why anyone wants to be in the teaching profession with stupid kids and equally stupid parents escapes me.

Way to go Coach Morgan! | 3:32 p.m. March 27, 2008

You did the right thing. It is sick that the media jumps on board with immature high school kids to make you look bad. You are a class act. Keep it up!

Frank | 3:27 p.m. March 27, 2008

If I ever got pulled into a fight I would pray that someone like coach Morgan would make the "not best" decision and stop it. If my child ever gets into a fight I hope someone makes the wrong decision and stops it, if its my child who started the fight despite and hurt feelings I would have bless anyone like coach Morgan who puts some sense into my child for a brief moment.

We had a Reading teacher in my middleschool like coach Morgan. The day he retired four school fights broke out including one where a girl smashed another girls face into a blackboard.

Coach Morgan | 4:16 p.m. March 27, 2008

I knew Monte and his family in Heber City when they lived there. Monte was the coach at Wasatch High School. His family is a great and Monte is a great guy. Just know you are supported in Heber City too coach!

Good job Coach | 4:23 p.m. March 27, 2008

You did the right then kids have no respect now days and he got punished for doing the right thing wow whats wrong with are society these days, I think the school board is scared of a rich parent of one of those disrespectful kids coming after them. You have my backing coach. Give the man back his money.

Anonymous | 5:01 p.m. March 27, 2008

Anyone can assume that its the "rich parents" fault for not controlling their kids, or that the parents have "fanageled" (made up word? :) money somewhere, allowing the kids to do whatever they want, but it takes intelligence and maturity to realize that his family situation may not be as idealized as you all believe. Not to condone his actions, but most if not all of you have no idea how much money his parents have, or even if he still has both his parents. I don't think any problems in his family should be an excuse for this behavior, but your true intelligence is revealed by making these assumptions

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