ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Last month, Escanaba Area Public Schools fired its gymnastics coach after 40 years with the district. Now, she is asking for her job back, and many in the community are standing behind her.
It was a packed house at Monday night’s Escanaba School Board meeting of the whole, where former gymnastics coach Theresa Pascoe formally requested that she be reinstated. She says the incident that led to her firing happened over this year’s holiday break.
“On January 2, I was gone and my sister Joan Pascoe–who also was a gymnast at Escanaba, also a previous assistant gymnastics coach, as well as head coach—took my gymnastics practice that day,” Pascoe told WZMQ 19. “It just happened that was the day that the athletic director decided to stop by Triple A Gymnastics, where we practice.”
According to Pascoe, Athletic Director Nate Zaremba called the situation a “liability” for the school district, saying that her sister had not gone through a background check. Pascoe says her sister passed a background check the following day, but by then, it was too late. She received a termination letter in the following weeks.
“I made a mistake,” said Pascoe. “I’m human. It happens. Should I be fired for it? I don’t think so. I don’t feel that the crime fits the punishment in this case because there are other athletic teams in Escanaba that have not had properly vetted people around their athletes, and nothing’s been done to them.”
Multiple people spoke in support of Pascoe at Monday’s meeting, citing her history of dedication to Escanaba gymnastics.
“I really could not think of a better coach than her,” said eighth-grade gymnastics student Taylor Artley. “She’s made me not only a great gymnast in the gym but just a great person overall.”
Some parents fear that without Pascoe, the gymnastics program will not be able to continue.
“I can’t see anyone else qualified the way she is,” said Taylor’s mother, Danielle Artley. “She’s made this program succeed every year. There’s more girls joining, and we can’t do this without her.”
Pascoe believes it’s a valid concern. She feels she has “had to fight” nearly every year she’s been involved to keep the program going.
“At the end of last gymnastics season when I went for my evaluation with our athletic director, he had told me that the school board wanted to get rid of me last year but didn’t say why,” said Pascoe. “He just said that I needed to cross my t’s and dot my i’s. I thought I was doing a really good job at that.”
In response to Pascoe’s statement about the School Board, a member informed WZMQ 19 that the board only speaks through its motions “when legally convened.”
Pascoe believes she is still the best person for the job.
“Not anybody can just come in and take over,” she said. “You need to have a background in this sport. I love these kids. I don’t want to see them have to transfer or leave.”
Pascoe and her supporters hope the school board will reverse her firing and work to keep the gymnastics program going strong.
“We’re all like family, you know?” Danielle Artley said. “It’s not just your regular one season and you’re done. We wouldn’t be where we are without her.”
“My heart bleeds orange and black,” said Pascoe. “I don’t want to go anywhere else.”
WZMQ 19 has submitted a FOIA request to the Escanaba Area Public Schools superintendent and reached out to the athletic director for comment. We will have more information on Wednesday, April 16.
