Members of School Board Reluctantly Allow Fellow Trustee to Remain Coach : Burbank: Panel decides that Robert Dunivant won’t be paid and calls for an inquiry into his appointment.

Robert Dunivant, Burbank Unified School District trustee and popular football coach, has scored a victory off the field over his rivals on the school board.

But the political game may not be over yet.

Following a heated session marked by accusations and finger-pointing, the five-member board voted Thursday night to allow Dunivant to remain as John Burroughs Senior High School football coach for the remainder of the current season. But the majority of the board members indicated that they were supporting Dunivant reluctantly.

Dunivant had retired his teaching position at Burroughs last year to sell real estate. He had been succeeded as football coach several years earlier by Butch McElwee. Board members said they were upset that Dunivant had made critical comments about McElwee and then stepped in immediately as interim coach at the request of Burroughs officials when McElwee resigned two weeks ago for personal reasons.

McElwee has said he was upset by Dunivant’s statements to a local newspaper blaming him for the decline of the Burroughs football program. Dunivant had a record of 102 wins, 75 losses and four ties at Burroughs during a 25-year career. McElwee compiled a record of 23 wins and 24 losses over the last four years.

Board President William Abbey and Trustees Audrey Hanson and Vivian Kaufman, who have all clashed with Dunivant since his election in February, said they would allow him to stay on at Burroughs because they did not want to cause the team further turmoil.

The trustees voted 4 to 0, with Dunivant abstaining, to let him stay with the team.

“We have to look at where the students are, and I’m prepared to support Mr. Dunivant’s effort because I don’t want the team to forfeit the season,” Kaufman said.

But Dunivant’s victory may be a hollow one.

Abbey, Hanson and Kaufman blasted Dunivant for his actions in criticizing McElwee, saying he had violated his integrity as a board member. “Mr. Dunivant is new to the board, and may not fully realize his responsibilities as a board member,” Hanson said.

They denied Dunivant’s request to be paid for coaching, saying his position as a board member presents a conflict of interest.

In addition, Hanson called for an investigation by district Supt. Arthur Pierce into Dunivant’s criticism of McElwee and his subsequent appointment to the coaching spot.

Expressing his reluctance in supporting Dunivant, Abbey said, “I’m loath to have the team without a coach. But what kind of an example does it set when behavior that has the appearance of being devious is rewarded?”

The comments by Hanson and Abbey were greeted by boos and insults from several of Dunivant’s supporters attending the board meeting. Many of the supporters were fathers of sons who had played on Dunivant-coached teams.

In an interview following the vote, Dunivant repeated his assertion that he had had no ulterior motive in criticizing his successor.

“I’m just happy it’s behind us now, for the kids’ sake,” he said. “Now we can get on with the rest of the season, knowing we’ll be together.”

But he hinted that he might want to return to coaching permanently: “I have to feed my family, and I’m not cutting it in real estate. Of course, I would have to resign from the school board if I did that.”

During the last two seasons, the Burroughs Indians had a record of five victories and 16 losses. Last season, the team won two and lost eight, including a 63-0 loss to Quartz Hill High School, the worst defeat in school history.