By Ken Valenti
WESTPORT–Russell Oost-Lievense, former head coach of the Staples High School boys varsity soccer team, is suing the Westport Board of Education for his job back in the coming season, charging that he was improperly ousted from the position.
The 34-page complaint, filed in Superior Court in Stamford, seeks to reverse the Board’s vote to uphold Superintendent Thomas Scarice’s May decision not to renew the coach’s contract after the fall 2024 season. Oost-Lievense held the same position for three consecutive seasons; in such cases, a coach can appeal a termination or non-renewal of a contract by showing that the decision was “arbitrary and capricious.”
Coach wants his job back
The lawsuit seeks compensatory, economic and punitive damages as well as legal costs. It also requests that the Board reinstate Oost-Lievense’s position next season, or provide him with a “full and fair” opportunity to appeal the decision.
“The main thing that we’re looking for is for Russ to be returned to the coaching position,” said Oost-Lievense’s attorney, Daniel Young. “He didn’t want to do this. He would have preferred to resolve this amicably.”
Board of Education President Lee Goldstein said she could not comment on the accusations in detail because it is an ongoing legal matter. But she defended the Board’s 5-1 vote.
“We just made the best decision we could according to our policy and in the best interests of the district and the children,” she said.
September retreat, October tip, January testimony, May walkout
The coach’s suspension last year and the decision not to renew his contract came to light when senior soccer player Jonny Costello told the Board of Education on Jan. 15 that his life had been “destroyed” by “vicious and false rumors” that circulated after word got out about an incident involving an assistant coach during a preseason team retreat. Costello said he was physically assaulted in the incident, which an anonymous tipster reported to Athletic Director VJ Sarullo two months later, in late October.
Oost-Lievense did not mention the student by name, but said his non-renewal was connected to an incident in which Assistant Coach Harry Ocampo yelled at a student using profanity during a Sept. 1, 2024 retreat. The court filing says the incident was neither an assault nor a threat, and was resolved when Ocampo apologized to the student, the entire team and fellow coaches. Oost-Lievense said the student’s father did not raise a complaint about him until almost two months later.
Costello said neither he nor his parents had provided the anonymous tip.
Several days after the Board’s decision, an estimated 200 Staples High School students walked out of class to show support for him, many carrying signs with slogans such as “We stand with Russ” and “Justice for Russ.” A GoFundMe page collecting donations for Oost-Lievense’s legal fees has raised more than $25,000.
Public disparagement, blocked exhibits and testimony
Oost-Lievense criticized the Board of Education’s handling of the matter, in part for allowing the student to “disparage” him in public comments at the Jan. 15 meeting. The coach charges that the board thwarted his efforts to make his case in a May 12 appeal hearing by barring him from admitting 40 exhibits in the hearing, deeming them “not appropriate,” and by prohibiting seven of his 13 witnesses to testify.
Goldstein said the witnesses blocked from testifying were not eye witnesses to the incident.
Board of Education member Robert Harrington, who cast the lone vote in Oost-Lievense’s favor, blasted his colleagues for the handling of the hearing.
“We took away the right of an employee of this district to properly defend himself,” he said in comments quoted in the complaint. “That is unimaginable that that would happen here. It’s unacceptable.”
Board Vice President Dorie Hordon, who voted with the majority, explained her decision in a later Board meeting saying, “There was ample evidence to support the administration’s conclusion not to renew.”
Conflicts alleged
In addition, Oost-Lievense leveled several accusations of conflicts of interest. The Board of Education allowed Superintendent Thomas Scarice and Athletic Director V.J. Sarullo to be represented by attorneys Shipman & Goodwin, who have served as the Board’s attorneys for 30 years. A call to Shipman & Goodwin was referred to the firm’s Director of Marketing and Business Development Jennifer L. Stokes, who did not return two messages.
The complaint also charges that Goldstein and Hordon had conflicts of interest because they are friends with the family of the student in question. Goldstein said she is not friends with the family. Hordon, a Westport resident since 2007, said she has relationships with many people on both sides of the issue, but none that would influence her decision in the matter.
“I have absolutely no financial, commercial or familial links to any of the parties involved that would necessitate a recusal,” she wrote in an email.
Anybody could have seen this coming !!!
The conflict of interest described is sickening. This is why people lose faith in governments and leaders. Corruption is not just for the big boys and girls in Hartford and Washington. .
However, these are of course just allegations. I trust everyone will have the opportunity to give their side of the story in court.