Gay Cheer Coach Fired At Murrieta Valley HS, Team Wants Him Back

Murrieta CA

14 July, 2021

10:27 PM

Description

MURRIETA, CA — After three years as head coach of Murrieta Valley High School's cheer and stunt program, Michael Henderson has been let go from his position. The 31-year-old coach believes he was fired because he is gay. He is mounting a wrongful termination lawsuit and says the process that led to his dismissal is "flawed." Many of his student-athletes and their families agree. Late Wednesday afternoon, a rally was held in front of MVHS to show support for the coach. Donning red and black MVHS Nighthawks colors, about two dozen student-athletes and family members turned out carrying signs that read "Bring Back Coach Mike." Many passing motorists honked, although it's unknown if the drivers knew what the hubbub was all about. MVHS's Kendell Winters wants people to understand. She is a senior who started on the cheer team her freshman year under a different coach, but Henderson came in shortly after. She describes "Coach Mike" as a tough leader who "has our best interests at heart." "He always wants the best for you," she said. "I hope we're able to get him back." "Shock" is how Henderson described his June 16 dismissal. Just eight days earlier, he had received a "glowing" end-of-season review from MVHS athletic director Darin Mott and campus principal Ryan Tukua, he explained. "There was no hint that anything was wrong," Henderson said. But two days after the review, on June 10, the coach was advised by Mott that an anonymous complaint letter was lodged against him. He was told an investigation was being launched and he just needed to sit tight. "I never saw the letter," Henderson said. "I wasn't even given a chance to respond. I was never interviewed about any of it." Instead, on the day of his dismissal, district officials told him he was being let go because the cheer program "was taking a different direction," he said. The new 2021-22 cheer season has just started, so it's unclear what changes, if any, will come at MVHS. Patch reached out to Murrieta Valley Unified School District for comment, but was told by spokesperson Monica Gutierrez that "state employment and federal privacy laws prohibit the comment and/or discussion of specific personnel actions." Kim Altenhofel, an MVHS cheer parent and president of the school's cheer booster club, said she was contacted twice by Tukua and once by Murrieta Valley Unified School District Trustee Paul Diffley as part of the investigation into Henderson. In all of the conversations, the officials were seeking feedback about the MVHS cheer program and the coach — the investigation seemed to center on allegations of verbal and mental abuse by Henderson, she said. Altenhofel insists she never witnessed any abusive behavior by the coach. "The kids loved him. They are heartbroken," she said. Rick Winters, father of Kendell, said he was never contacted by anyone within the district and maintains Henderson was wronged. "My daughter excelled in his program," Winters said. The MVHS father of three explained that student-athletes were expected to maintain good grades and participate in team events under Henderson. "Coach Mike had high expectations, but I want that for my kids. That is real life," Winters continued. Henderson's attorney Terry Davis claims his client's sexuality was the basis of his dismissal, and he called the investigation into the anonymous letter "improper." "The anonymous letter was sent to MVUSD by what is believed to be a couple of disgruntled cheer parents who were angry with their child's position or participation level in the team," Davis said. Furthermore, Davis alleges the investigation into the letter "was spearheaded by devout Mormon MVUSD Board Member, Paul Diffley, who made calls to several unnamed sources impeding due process of the investigation. One question related to his sexual orientation raised red flags leading many to believe that it was a substantial factor in the district's decision to terminate Mr. Henderson's employment." Patch reached out to Diffley, but the Trustee said the matter was a personnel issue in litigation. He provided no further comment. Patch was unable to track down student-athletes and/or family members who may have been unhappy with Henderson's performance. During the June 17 MVUSD Board of Trustees meeting, MVHS cheer-athletes and their families packed the chambers to speak in support of the coach. Because his dismissal was not on the meeting agenda, the trustees were prohibited from addressing the comments. Henderson continues to coach several of his student-athletes off-campus at Corona-based Prime Cheer and Stunt. The coach's tenure at MVHS put the school in the national cheerleading spotlight. Victories include fourth-place finalist in the 2021 National High School Cheerleading Championship and the sixth-place finalist the year before, among other titles.