Anderson Union High School District board rejects rehiring of former West Valley football coach

Nearly every seat was occupied at Wednesday’s Anderson Union High School District school board meeting, with several more idling in the back as some 100 people filled the high school library where these meetings typically occur. On the agenda for the evening of Feb. 11 was a divisive consent calendar item, the possible rehire of a former West Valley High School football coach, which drew both support and scrutiny from various members of the public. 

Greg Grandell was listed on the board’s agenda, under a human resources report indicating new hires, something the school board had final say to approve or deny — even if staff from the school had recommended his hiring. The HR report was lumped together with other voting items on what’s known as a consent calendar to be approved en masse, meaning that unless one of the board members decided to pull the item for board members to reconsider it individually, Grandell’s hiring would have been pushed through without a public discussion. 

But after board member Julie Renauro pulled the item from the consent calendar for further discussion, significant public comment ensued, and a unanimous board voted to oppose the rehiring. The vote was taken immediately after a motion by board member Staci Adams, without any discussion by the board.

Grandell was WVHS’s football coach for decades until 2020, when a group of students came forward with allegations of ritualized and sexualized hazing among players on the team. Shortly thereafter, four underage male students, named only as John Does in court documents, filed a civil suit against Grandell and AUHSD for alleged negligence among other alleged charges. 

Grandell and AUHSD denied all the allegations the students brought forth, with Grandell claiming that he had no knowledge of the hazing because it had never been reported to him. The case never went to trial, and was settled outside of court for an undisclosed amount of taxpayer money. 

That history was invoked by both Grandell’s supporters and critics at the AUHSD board meeting last night as the public made their opinions known about his potential rehiring. Of the nine public commenters, three condemned Grandell and six spoke favorably of him, with AUHSD’s student board member also supporting his hiring. 

Grandell’s supporters included his daughter, former students, parents of current students, and others. 

“A man who spent his life protecting, guiding and investing in young people has been publicly reduced to a headline that does not reflect who he is or the truth of his work,” his daughter said, her voice breaking, as she glanced over to members of the media. 

“He was all about the boys. Trying to make them better husbands, better men, better employees, better citizens, all the way around,” another man said in support of Grandell, whose son was once on the team. 

But others opposed Grandell’s rehiring.

“I want to emphasize that my comments do not question or address Greg Grandell’s character,” said one woman. “My concerns are focused solely on the possible financial and legal ramifications of rehiring Mr. Grandell, as well as the perception this decision may have on the broader community.” 

Another woman, who said she was the mother-in-law of one of the victims of the alleged hazing, was much more pointed with her disapproval. “It suggests that reputation or convenience outweighs accountability — the district has already paid a significant financial sum due to incidents that occurred under this leadership,” she said, eventually going over her allotted three minutes to speak and drawing ire from the crowd.

After the board voted, some community members in the crowd erupted. “That’s an embarrassment to your community,” one man fumed, as many filed outside. Other angry constituents suggested voting the board out at the next election. 

Outside, Grandell addressed his enraged supporters, some of whom had tears in their eyes. 

“We’ve always been a faith-based program, so hopefully we get another person like that,” Grandell said. We just gotta find the right guy, and we’ll find him,” Grandell assured the crowd. “He’s out there. This is not going to be me, but I love you.” 

Most of the crowd left after the HR item, but the meeting continued as usual and just before adjourning, Renauro made a final remark about what had transpired.

“We don’t take these decisions lightly at all,” she said, adding that the supporters who showed up tonight were only a single part of their larger constituency, many of whom she said had been contacting their board members nonstop with their input on Grandell. 

After the meeting, board members declined to comment further, as did AUHSD Superintendent Brian Parker.

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