Renowned Livonia Franklin wresting coach Dave Chiola is going to Monday’s school board meeting to clear his name.

District officials decided the day before Halloween to fire the Patriots’ coach of 24 years over a student’s complaint about a private conversation with his athletic director regarding a transgender student trying out of the team, and he doesn’t expect them to change their mind.

But the district’s letter to parents questioning his character, and insisting his termination is “in the best interest of students,” is something he wants to address in his allotted three minutes before the board.

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“There’s not one parent who thinks this is in the best interest of students,” Chiola told The Midwesterner. “I’ve known some of them since they were toddlers.”

Over his 24 years at Livonia Franklin, Chiola led his team to 18 of last 19 city championships, and 17 district titles, with at least one wrestler going to the individual state championship tournament every season except 2020, when the Michigan High School Athletic Association nixed the event amid the pandemic, Hometown Life reports.

“I regret to inform everyone, that after 24 years, Livonia Franklin has fired me as the head wrestling coach. After working with kids all summer, I was informed last week, 12 days before the season starts,” Chiola posted to Facebook on Nov. 7. “Without getting into detail, I can tell you that no wrestler complained, no parent complained, I did nothing illegal, and nothing immoral. The decision was made by the athletic director and supported by the central office.”

The void of details fueled speculation online, where some alleged Chiola refused to allow a transgender student to use the school’s facilities. School officials sent a letter to parents that omitted the reason, while others set up a Change.org petition to protest the “unjust dismissal.”

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“Livonia Public Schools does not comment on personnel matters,” a district spokesman texted Hometown Life.

The secrecy ultimately forced Chiola to follow up on Facebook to set the record straight.

“I retired from teaching last year after 24 years of teaching. I was subbing this year at Stevenson when my athletic director called. There were only a few minutes left in class and students were chatting,” Chiola wrote.

The coach took the call, because “answering the phone didn’t seem like a big deal.”

“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 conversed 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,’” the post read. “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 told The Midwesterner the teen who “identifies as a boy” quit the team on the first day last year, “and I just said he might quit anyway.”

“I was just saying you are worried about something” that may not be a problem, Chiola said. “Some students overheard it and took it as transphobic.”

Those students “reported me to the assistant principal, who in turn reported it to central office, who conveyed it to my athletic director, who fired me,” Chiola’s Facebook post read.

“They did not discuss it with me,” Chiola told The Midwesterner, noting “that’s just the status quo in public schools.”

He described the termination as a “horrible disappointment.”

“I just can’t put it into words,” he said. “This was my life for 44 years, 24 there.”

The fallout, he wrote on Facebook, has also been “horrific.”

“Livonia feels by me giving details, they were right in firing me because they want it private, but some of the rumors I have heard are horrific and even criminal,” Chiola wrote. “I feel like I should be able to defend myself. I thought everything could have been handled differently. I am going to the school board because my character and integrity has been questioned, and parents were lied to. I hope the rumors stop.”

Chiola’s Facebook posts have garnered dozens of comments, all in support, while parents promoted to Change.org petition. Others with United Parents of Livonia Public Schools are calling on the community to “show up to support Coach Chiola” at the Monday board meeting.

“In our youth, many of us found ourselves aimlessly directionless until we came under the guidance of Coach Chiola. Using wrestling as a platform, he imparted invaluable lessons about discipline, resilience, and hard work which extended beyond the wrestling mat into our everyday lives. He played a crucial role in our growing years, impacting us immensely. Now, it’s our chance to give back,” the petition reads.

“Anybody that knows the type of person he is cannot fathom the decision by Franklin High School’s athletic director; this profound influence warrants a reconsideration of his dismissal,” it reads. “School administrators need to bring back this incredibly transformative coach who has been instrumental for so many students.”

Chiola said while he doesn’t expect that to happen, he will remain engaged in wrestling this season by helping out with other schools and coaches, promising he’ll be in the stands when the Patriots hit the mat this season.

Parents, meanwhile, are demanding answers.

“AD and school board should be ashamed for supporting the firing of this man,” Peyton posted in the Change.org comments. “This was a heartless and spineless move done with no explanation to the public. We need a live response and reasoning for the actions that have been taken.”

Franklin replaced Chiola on Nov. 8 with Nathan Atienza, one of three wrestlers Chiola coached to an individual state championship.