PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles School Board has tabled a vote to accept the resignation of Port Angeles High School boys basketball coach Brent Stephens after district parent and community members spoke in his favor at Thursday’s school board meeting.
Board member Cindy Kelly asked for the acceptance of Stephens’ resignation to be removed from the meeting’s consent agenda so members of the public could speak to it.
Stephens has coached the Roughriders for the past two seasons.
Kelly said she had received numerous calls and emails from parents and student-athletes about Stephens’ resignation.
Board president Steve Baxter said the board will delay a vote on accepting Stephens’ resignation until its May 8 meeting while the district’s human resources department finds out more information about the situation.
“With all the communication from the public, there’s something obviously going on,” Baxter said.
Four parents and community members spoke on Stephens’ behalf at the meeting.
“We’re hoping that we can keep him from leaving the area and taking all of the positive strides he made with the basketball program with him,” parent Liz Stevenson told the board.
Kelly Watkins said her children cherished the open gyms Stephens ran for students after school.
