Questions Arise About Accused Coach’s Credential

A nationally renowned Compton high school basketball coach, on paid leave while he is investigated for alleged sexual contact with one of his players, may not be able to return to his teaching job, even if he is cleared in the criminal probe, a school district spokesman acknowledged Wednesday.

Russell Otis, the four-time state championship coach of Dominguez High’s boys team, has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing with any players.

He is a full-time health teacher at the school. But he has no active state or local teaching credential, according to state and local records. Compton school district officials say schools are not supposed to employ instructors without a credential or emergency permit.

But if he is cleared in the criminal investigation, Otis would still be eligible to coach the team because that job doesn’t require teaching a class or having a teaching credential, officials say.

Asked about Otis’ status Wednesday, schools spokesman Fausto Capobianco said the district is still trying to determine exactly how the coach’s credential lapsed.

Otis’ attorney blamed the district’s record-keeping for the lapse and said his client is working to clear up a misunderstanding that turns on a grade he received for a credential-related college course.

Records at the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing show that Otis has never had a full teaching credential. For most of his 13-year career at Dominguez High, where he has taught physical education and health, he has used state emergency permits and, more recently, a temporary credential issued by Los Angeles County.

The county credential expired Nov. 1, according to a county spokeswoman.

“As far as we’re concerned, for the moment, he has no credentials and is not eligible to teach,” Capobianco said.

He added that the district is trying to determine whether Otis, given his lack of credential, is still entitled to paychecks while on leave.

Otis, 38, was arrested Nov. 2 on suspicion of sexual battery, oral copulation and sodomy with a 17-year-old senior. The district put him on paid leave that day.

Through his lawyer, the coach has said he expects to be cleared and to return to the classroom and to leading Dominguez’s high-profile basketball program. Last year, newspaper polls ranked the squad the country’s best high school team.

Otis’ lawyer, Leonard B. Levine, called the district’s concerns over the status of his client’s teaching credential “a minor matter” that could be quickly resolved.

The questions appear to stem from a course that Otis took earlier this year at Cal State Dominguez Hills to earn a full state teaching credential.

Earlier this fall, school officials said, the district extended Otis’ county credential after receiving notification from the university that he had passed the course. But about a month later, the district says, it learned that the coach’s grade in that course was not high enough to keep the credential in effect.

However, the coach’s lawyer maintains that the grade was good enough to keep the credential active. Levine added that Otis will go to district headquarters this week to clear up the matter.

“This is a problem with the district’s record-keeping. I don’t believe this will have any effect on his job,” Levine said. “He’s been nothing but a source of pride to his school.”