Beverly Hills wrestling coach fired for pushing a student sets record straight
For the first time, former wrestling coach Ryan Faintich describes what led him to repeatedly shove a student at Beverly Hills High School last month.
"Believe me, I've had a lot of time to think 'what could I have differently, '" said Faintich said. "It's easy to do so when you have had a lot of thought. But to be in the moment that's a different story."
He added that he was "acting out of prevention and protection" after a student confided in him that day that he was bullied.
"All I knew was a student had been assaulted and it was something where there was a significant injury to his face," said Faintich. "And he told me the kid was going to come back. And sure enough, when I walked out of practice, there he was."
In the video, Faintich stands between the two students shortly before he grabs a student. They keep talking and then the coach pushes him twice more.
"For a minute I was demanding and asking him to leave," he said. "And for me, that's someone I perceived as a threat to my kids."
Faintich said he then ran to get a security guard. After a school investigation, he was fired. In a new statement from the superintendent, the district said they never had a report of bullying when it came to the situation.
"[Beverly Hills Unified School District] is confident in the investigation and the recent statements made by certain individuals are unequivocally untrue and inaccurate," said officials. "For an employee to initiate blatant aggressive physical contact toward a student is reprehensible and will not be tolerated by BHUSD."
The district also said their policy doesn't allow staff to physically intervene unless students are physically escalating the situation. They claim there was no indication of that in the video.
Lucas Courneya was near the altercation and said he had been approached by the other student to address his teammates bullying issues.
"As far as the whole matter, all I really care about is having my coach back," he said.
Wrestlers and parents showed their support for Faintich tonight.
"The next time it happens you know what every staff member is going to do?" said parent Leeron Travish. "Nothing. Because they are going to get fired."
