Burbank Schools Chief Accused of Recruiting Violation

One day after Burroughs High football Coach Robert dos Remedios submitted a complaint to the Southern Section, accusing the Burbank school board president of a recruiting violation, school trustees said they would conduct an investigation and would take quick action.

“I have a very serious concern about these allegations, and they are horrific offenses if they are true,” school board member Denise Wilcox said Wednesday. “I think it’s a potential scandal.”

In his complaint submitted Tuesday, dos Remedios alleges that school board President Joe Hooven approached Burroughs student Ken Wilson in the stands during last Thursday night’s football game at Burroughs and suggested he transfer to Burbank High to play football. Wilson had quit the Burroughs team earlier in the week.

Dos Remedios, a second-year coach, said Wednesday that Hooven would like him to resign or be fired.

“The guy’s had it out for me since the day I was hired,” dos Remedios said.

Hooven did not return messages left by The Times.

Wilson, however, said Hooven did not try to recruit him.

“All [Hooven] did was come up and say, ‘Hi,’ and wonder how I was doing,” Wilson said. “Mr. Hooven walked by and said he was surprised to see me in the stands. I asked (Burbank junior varsity coach) Doc Johns about going to Burbank. And he said you’ll have to fill out the proper paperwork.”

Wilson’s father, Richard, has lodged a complaint against dos Remedios and will meet today with Principal Tim Buchanan. Richard Wilson said his son left the team because dos Remedios was vulgar and verbally abusive with his son and other players.

“His conduct is unacceptable,” Richard Wilson said. “He has no business being around teen-agers.”

The Burbank school board over which Hooven presides will attempt to sort out the situation at the start of its regularly scheduled meeting today at 6 p.m.

“We can’t allow our athletes to be caught in the middle of this kind of behavior,” Wilcox said. “I will move to have the investigation completed in a day or two. If it’s an employee of the district, I don’t know exactly what the reprimand will be, but I would take it to the fullest extent.

“If it’s a board member, the [residents of Burbank will have to decide] if they can still represent the best interests of the community.”

Wilcox, a teacher at Monroe High, said she heard rumors about both Burbank football programs for a long time.

“It’s now become a little more clear who the [involved] parties are,” she said. “I’m disappointed that some of the rumors appear to have some justification.”

Hooven was a member of the board when it approved the hiring of dos Remedios and Burbank Coach John Hazelton before the 1994 season.

Hooven is considered an avid Burbank High supporter and has a full-page advertisement, “on behalf of the school board” in the Bulldog football program. But he has not shown similar support for Burroughs, other than attending games, according to dos Remedios.

Hazelton, an assistant at Montclair Prep when it received penalties for rules violations from the Southern Section, said he doesn’t need a recruiter.

“I don’t need anyone’s help to run a football program,” said Hazelton, whose team is 0-2. “I’m running a clean ship. It’s the middle of the football season, I just got my [butt] beat two weeks in a row. I have no time for Hooven. I have no time for the Kenny Wilsons. It’s coaching time, it’s not politics time. I wish it would all go away.”

Darin Esper contributed to this story.