Lee’s Summit High track volunteer let go and coach resigns amid disparaging comments

Pam Smiley, a volunteer track and field coach at Lee’s Summit High School, fought back tears as she tried to relay why she thought she was let go of her duties.

Earlier Wednesday, Smiley was told by administrators at the school that a decision by track and field head coach Karen Sanders to relieve Smiley of her duties as sprint coach would stand.

Smiley alleges — and a group of track athletes at the school concur — that Sanders told her last week the only reason some minority members of the team were having successful track seasons was because Smiley was African-American and the athletes could relate to her.

Smiley said she was appalled by the assertion, as were parents of some of the athletes who heard Sanders repeat the remark.

Sanders and husband, Clint, an assistant coach, resigned from their positions on Wednesday.

Scott Wilkinson, a teacher at Pleasant Lea Middle School and current assistant coach for the team, is taking over as acting head coach.

Smiley said she was disappointed in being let go.

“I feel like it’s an unfair decision,” she said to a group of reporters after a meeting with Chad Hertzog, the school’s athletic director, John Faulkenberry, principal, and a district human resources official.

“I don’t feel like they took the athletes and the students into consideration. I feel like they made a bad judgment.”

Karen Sanders said there was no racial intent with her comment.

“When I met with (Smiley) back in January, I told her I was happy to have her with our group,” Sanders said. “That she was a black female sprinter and she was bringing all those things to the table. She would be able to help these girls to realize their potential, to work with them and get them to reach more of their potential than we’ve had any luck doing lately.

“She agreed with that. She said, ‘Yes, I do realize I have a lot I can offer this team and I would do my best.’ That was never intended to be a racial remark. It was a non-issue at the time. Had she been offended by that I would have apologized immediately.”

Asked why she and her husband resigned, Sanders said they decided it was in the best interest of the team.

“We felt for the sake of the girls, it probably wouldn’t have been a good ending for the team with half the team divided one way or another,” she said. “It was best that we step out and not finish the season.”

Smiley, a physical therapist and personal trainer in Kansas City, contends that Sanders made the disparaging remarks to her during a meeting Friday afternoon, then later repeated the remarks to athletes before a track meet the same day. On Saturday, the team traveled to Jefferson City for a meet while Sanders stayed away.

Sanders said she only addressed the issue on Friday because a couple of athletes had started the conversation.

“They said coach Smiley said that the only reason you let her hang around and coach the girls is because she’s black,” Sander said. “I said, ‘girls that is not what was said.’ From then on they went several different directions with all of their comments.

“I said, ‘you know, she relates to you girls and you are doing a great job with her. I’m sorry if she thinks it’s a black thing because that is not what it is.’ It’s a shame all of this had to happen.”

The district released a statement stating that Sanders submitted her resignation as head girls track coach, effective immediately. Sanders had served as a non-faculty girls track coach at Lee’s Summit High School since 2013.

“Due to confidentiality regulations related to personnel, we are unable to share additional information about (the) resignation,” the statement read.

According to the district, Smiley has never been employed in any capacity by the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District although she did volunteer with the team.

Smiley, who has a freshman daughter on the track team, “will continue her involvement with the girls track team as a parent but will not be assisting the coaches with their duties,” the statement read. “Our schools constantly emphasize respect for all students in a safe and caring environment, and we will continue our practice of promptly addressing any issues that are brought to our attention.”

Several parents spoke out in support of Smiley, including Heather Hays, who has a sophomore daughter on the team.

“I’m livid,” Hays said when informed that Smiley wasn’t retained.

Hays’ daughter, Zoe Cabe, joined a group of track athletes who gathered next to the school in support of Smiley.

“I think Coach Smiley is a great coach,” Zoe said. “She relates to everyone. She’s just a really positive influence for us.”

Smiley’s friend Bill Birmingham of Lee’s Summit said the incident was unfortunate.

“I think it’s something that was born from someone — an educator of all people — falling back on some old antiquated stereotypes,” he said. “First and foremost, as a parent of children in this school district, that’s most alarming ... to punish a person because of the mistakes of someone else is the most shameful part of it.”

This story was originally published April 23, 2015 at 1:46 PM with the headline "Lee’s Summit High track volunteer let go and coach resigns amid disparaging comments."