Despite a student march from Highline High School to district headquarters and impassioned pleas from students, parents and coaches, Highline Public Schools board president Sili Savusa announced May 11 that Dr. Jim Rice will not be allowed to volunteer as a coach and doctor for Highline athletics.

The board upheld a decision by new district athletic director Terri McMahan. The board held two executive sessions on the matter, including one with Rice.

Rice, former Emergency Department lead physician at Highline Medical Center, has been giving low- cost sports physicals at Highline High for 25 years. He has also served as assistant wrestling coach and has been the Highline football team sidelines doctor since 1985.

While saying she could not discuss the details of personnel matters, Savusa said the decision was made for the safety of students and to uphold compliance with district rules and regulations.

"I wish I could say more to you," Savusa told board meeting audience members. "I understand your commitment and passion. This is not about a person's character, it is about working within the parameters of the district."

Noting it was one of the toughest decisions board members have made, Savusa added, "I apologize for how you are feeling. It is clear Dr. Rice has meant a lot to the community."

Contacted after the meeting, Rice said he doesn't see any other avenues to retaining his volunteer jobs.
Asked if the decision will be an issue in the upcoming fall election for school board members, Rice responded, "You bet it is. This is not coming from me. It is from teachers and parents. I've been told they want to replace the board and get ones that care about the kids."

Savusa, as well as board members Bernie Dorsey and Michael Spear, are up for re-election to the five-member board this fall.

Following the meeting, district spokeswoman Catherine Carbone Rogers expanded slightly on Savusa's remarks and gave three main reasons for the board's decision.

She cited safety concerns concerning a ringworm outbreak on the wrestling team.

There were also safety concerns around Rice's driving female students to a wrestling tournament in Sedro-Woolley. The concern went beyond the fact that Rice did not have a Class II driving license at the time. The tournament was not authorized by the district and Rice did not have permission from parents, according to Rogers.

Finally, Rice failed to comply with established rules and requests and resisted doing so.
"The board feels the behavior warranted the action," Rogers concluded.

Rice responded that the concerns over his treatment of ringworm are "so ludicrous." He said the "lay position" taken by district athletics administrators is incorrect. If a ringworm case is reported, the administrators believe the wrestling room needs to be isolated and shut down, according to Rice.

He said he tried to explain that the medically correct course is a three-day treatment with a cream or lotion.

Rice admitted he did not go through the chain of command when he drove eight or nine girls to the Sedro- Woolley regional tournament. He said the girls were already signed up for the regional tournament that provided them with a much better experience than a local tournament. The district determined that a tournament more than 30 miles away is too expensive to provide buses, according to Rice. So he paid the tournament fee, borrowed a parent's van and took the girls. Rice said he sent permission slips home with the girls and collected them.

"I didn't kidnap anyone," Rice declared "There never was a complaint."

He added that the only reason the trip became an issue is that he "confessed" to the Highline principal when explaining the lengths the coaches go to provide the students a good athletic experience.

Students marched with signs from Highline High on South 152nd Street to district headquarters west of Five Corners on Ambaum Boulevard.

Outside district headquarters, Vinh Tran said he had wrestled for Rice from 2000-2004. He noted he was one of the students who could not afford a sports physical but was given one by Rice.

"He was a huge influence on me," Tran said. "I always wanted to be like him."

Tran went on from Highline to earn a doctorate degree in pharmacy from Washington State University.
He spoke in support of Rice during the board meeting. Ryan Griffey, a former Highline wrestler who recently earned a law degree from Pepperdine University, preceded him. He recalled that Rice put one of his brother's arms back into its socket during a wrestling match.

Sophomore Emily Birdseye, who was one of the female wrestlers Rice drove to Sedro-Woolley, marched to support Rice.

She said Rice had "helped me with a lot of things. He has been a big influence on me for a long time."
Emily also spoke before the board.

Kimberly Birdseye, Emily's mother, stood next to Emily, offering support as she did for a few of the female wrestlers who were nervous speaking before the board members.

After the meeting, Rice said he "feels blessed that parents, kids and teachers have given me the support I've had."