A Cape Coral high school football team and their parents attended a school board meeting to demand the reinstatement of their coach, Tyler Murphy. The meeting quickly turned contentious as parents expressed their frustration.
A parent accused Murphy of having a sexual relationship with her on school grounds. The school district verified the authenticity of texts exchanged between them, which the parent claims prove the nature of their relationship. Murphy’s attorney previously told WINK News that the texts were just fantasy talk. Murphy resigned but is seeking to return to his position.
During the meeting, named ‘Conversations That Count,’ parents were encouraged to ask questions in writing on index cards. However, the district said it could not discuss the investigation at the high school, leading to an uproar among attendees.
“Get on the news. Don’t push me. I’m not pushing you. Don’t f******* push me,” a man shouted before Cape Coral police escorted him out.
Rob Spicker, director of strategic communication for the School District of Lee County, addressed the crowd.
“That Investigative Matter is not over. The state is opening up in its own investigation. Therefore, because we have closed it on our end and there is now a state investigation, we cannot address that any further,” said Spicker.
Several members of the football team, with their parents’ permission, spoke to WINK News.
“Look. We came here to challenge your middle to, ask questions about Coach Murphy. And we were, denied to ask questions, and they won’t answer any further questions. We all feel completely ignored and silenced to a point,” said Maxwell Livingston, a student at Cape Coral High School.
Niemiah Miranda, another student, expressed his concerns.
“I just want to understand why my coach is not getting a chance to come back. And I want to know why the district is saying they care about the students,” said Miranda.
When asked about the allegations against Murphy, both students declined to comment.
WINK News will continue to follow this developing story. The school district confirmed that the state is opening its own investigation into the matter.