LETTERS : Defending Art Martinez

Coach Art Martinez seems to have committed the unpardonable sin. He has refused to give his side of the story to the newspapers. As a result he has been castigated as everything from an unreasonable disciplinarian to a tyrant who would repeal the First Amendment.

Nowhere in The Times is there any mention of the open meeting at Taft last summer where the community was invited to speak out. A large majority of those present at that meeting supported Coach Martinez. They included not only his fellow coaches and teachers, but former and current players and their families.

In addition, there was no mention of the anti-Martinez obscenities spray painted in the Taft P.E. area last spring. It appears that some of Coach Martinez’s critics don’t always take the high road.

The real issue here may be the growing tendency of parents to shop around for athletic programs that appeal to them.

Coach Martinez is not the villain in this case. His reputation is the victim. Doesn’t he have the First Amendment right not to talk to the press?

JIM WOODARD

Taft High Basketball Coach