Scores of community members, former wrestlers, parents, students and others flooded a Livonia school board meeting on Monday to support wrestling coach David Chiola.

Numerous current and former students used their allotted three minutes to credit the renowned Livonia Franklin High School coach for changing the trajectory of their lives for the better, while others offered threats, complaints, and frustrations with district officials who ended his employment in October.

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The decision to cancel the coach of 24 years centered on a conversation between Chiola and his athletic director about a transgender student trying out for the team, and Chiola and others took issue with a letter to parents from Principal Andrew Pesci and other district officials they claim maligned his character.

“I was fired, I was obviously damaged, the team was damaged, the parents were damaged, the alumni, and the community,” Chiola told the board.

“A letter went home to parents questioning my character. There is a quote that says I am not a coach that aligns with our vision and values for the wrestling program,” he said. “The man who wrote this letter does not know me well enough to make that statement.”

Chiola also took issue with the district’s silence on the reason for his termination, pressure from administrators to lie about the decision, and how that situation sparked unnecessary rumors online.

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“Parents were told this was in the best interests of students,” Chiola told the board. “What an egotistical thing to say. You are telling parents you know what is best for their kids more than they do. I don’t think there’s a parent on the team who thinks this is in the best interests of their kid.”

Chiola added: “When districts start telling people they know what’s in the best interests of their kid, you understand why online schooling and homeschooling has gone up 45% in the last four years.  Parents are tired of schools telling them what is best for their kids.”

Chiola was eventually cut off by board members mid comment, and the board rejected requests from the audience to provide the coach more time.

Over his 24 years at Livonia Franklin, Chiola led his team to 18 of the last 19 city championships, and 17 district titles, racking up an astounding 400 wins throughout his career.

School officials terminated the coach just 12 days before the start of the 2024 season, but provided no reason, sparking speculation and gossip online Chiola described as “horrific and even criminal.”

Chiola set the record straight in a post to Facebook detailing the call from his athletic director about a teen “who identifies as a boy” and wanted to join the team, and the fallout that ensued.

“He wanted to make me aware of a wrestler that was joining the team. I told him I was aware of it, and it wasn’t a big deal. He talked to me about privacy and where the individual would shower. I told him we have a private shower and it shouldn’t be a big deal,” Chiola wrote. “After more concerns were expressed I finally just said, ‘This may not be an issue.’ Wrestling at Franklin is very hard and the individual may quit. And if practices are missed like last year, I would have to kick him off anyway,’” he said.

“That was pretty much the extend of the conversation. No names were given and nothing derogatory was said. I tell all my new wrestlers they may quit because of how hard it is. (We went from 69 to 39 kids last year and we don’t cut,),” Chiola wrote.

The coach told The Midwesterner “some students overheard (the conversation) and took it as transphobic.” Within days, the complaint went from an assistant principal, to the central office, to the athletic director, who fired Chiola without due process.

Former student Chris Vancamp, among many others, explained to the board how his trying wrestling experience in high school prepared him for life.

“In those four years … he wasn’t easy on any of us, but he didn’t treat any of us differently,” Vancamp said. “I placed in state and that wouldn’t have been possible without a man like that making sure I knew my worth, I knew what was inside of me.

“And I took that integrity and that strength into the Marine Corps and it make my time in the Marines a cakewalk compared to winter wrestling practice,” he said. “I’m not the only Marine he produced, and I’m sure they can attest to that.”

Others focused on what his departure means for students, the district and the community.

“I’ve known coach Chiola for 47 years. He’s one of the finest men I’ve ever known,” resident Michael Coliton said. “This man takes boys and makes them into men – real men,” he added.

“These are the guys you want teaching your kids,” he said. “What’s going on in our city? Is this indicative of the direction we are going as a city? As a country? Shame on you. Please reconsider. Give the man the opportunity to redeem himself.”

“I think you guys need to address what you’ve done, but I think you’re not because you know it was the wrong decision, and you don’t want to admit you made a mistake,” Chiola’s college-age daughter Madeline told the board. “And I think that’s sad, it’s wrong, and it’s not what you should be teaching these kids. You should be teaching these kids to have integrity, to take accountability for your decisions, and you guys could have rectified this but you’re choosing not to.”

Still others vowed consequences for district officials and board members involved in Chiola’s termination, both from locals and President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.

“We got a president who got elected by the name of Donald J. Trump, and he said the first thing is when I take office if you guys sit there and push anything towards kids, your funding will stop,” an activist who identified as Hassan told the board. “I’m a Republican delegate, and I’ll make sure you’re the first ones to get defunded. And that’s a promise.”

Hassan urged the board to suspend the rules and vote on a motion to give Chiola his job back, but the board refused.

“The man worked for 24 years. How many people, raise their hands, that want this gentleman’s job back?” he said.  “You guys got elected by these people. These people are going to vote you out, and you’re going to get defunded.”