Mead football coach Carty fired

After a three-month investigation by school district officials, Mead football coach Sean Carty was told Friday he was fired.

“His contract has not been renewed for next year,” Jared Hoadley, the district’s executive director for student services, athletics and activities, said Monday.

Carty was Mead’s head coach for 14 years. His teams were a combined 87-61 including a 12-1 record in 2005 and 10-2 mark in 2012 when the Panthers were Greater Spokane League champs. Mead won the American Division in 2003 when the league was split into two divisions.

“When it’s all said and done I’ve done nothing unethical or immoral,” Carty said. “There was no theft or abuse. That’s all I care for the public to know.”

Carty plans to appeal the dismissal. He has 20 days to file an appeal.

Hoadley said the position won’t be posted for applications “until all the due-process rights have been extinguished.”

Carty, 47, was told three months ago that an investigation was underway regarding his coaching position. His purpose for filing the appeal is to find out exactly why he’s been fired, he said.

“In our opinion the reason is pretty flimsy,” he said. “My name is clear and will be clear. I know I could leave here with a good recommendation (for another coaching job). I don’t agree with the decision and we’re going to discuss it more.”

Carty, a 1986 Vashon Island graduate, has taught in the Mead district 24 years, his entire education career. He started as a ninth-grade teacher at Northwood Middle School before Mead was split into two high schools when Mt. Spokane opened in 1998.

After serving as defensive coordinator, Carty took over as head coach when Bob McCray resigned after the 2000 season.

“In 14 years as head coach and 24 years as a teacher, I’ve never had anything like this happen,” Carty said. “There’s never been anything put in my record. It’s a surprise and we’re trying to figure it out.”

Carty said a small group of parents never approached him or the school’s administration but rather went over their heads straight to district administrators.

“It was very shady how it came about,” Carty said. “Parents complained and did it very unprofessionally and never came and talked to me. I was sideswiped. I need to stand up for all the other coaches in our district. We all feel that this was the tip of a spear for what could happen to any of us.”

Carty said if the reason for his firing came down to recent seasons he said the buck stops with him.

“I will be the first to take ownership of a 5-5 and 4-6 back-to-back seasons,” Carty said. “I don’t want to lose either. If that’s the reason, my overall success should trump that.”