Kirkland residents are coming to the defense of two Juanita High School (JHS) football coaches placed on paid administrative leave by the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a senior student by four freshman football players.

Four C-team football players are accused of sexually assaulting a special-needs student on Oct. 22 in the school locker room. All four players have been expelled from the school pending the result of the LWSD investigation and have yet to be charged by the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

A letter was sent via email to the parents of Juanita High School students last month notifying them that the coaches would be on leave during the school district’s investigation.

The letter did not name the two coaches but numerous sources have confirmed to the Reporter that they are varsity head coach Shaun Tarantola and assistant coach Lele Te’o.

The football team was recently bestowed the Annual Sportsmanship Award from the Pacific Northwest Football Officials Association (PNFOA), which is granted to the school with the expectation that the coaching staff will give the award to an individual football player who is planning on furthering his education after graduation.

Emails written to the LWSD and JHS officials expressed dismay at having the coaches removed at the end of the season, as well as concerns about the internal investigation process.

“Not being able to finish this season with his coaches, to express his gratitude and thank them for their support, leadership and years of commitment, has been especially hard on my son who is a senior this year,” wrote Steve and Lisa Boeggeman to JHS Principal Gary Moed. “We have lived in the Juanita community for almost 20 years. Our boys have been involved in many different sports activities over the years and I can honestly tell you none of their past coaches have made an impact on them like their JHS football coaches. They have learned how to be a team player, to respect one another and that hard work pays off. Coach Lele’s and T’s dedication to this program and this community has taught them what positive role models look like.”

Gary Sumner wrote to Moed, saying the coaches shouldn’t be blamed for what happened.

“In no way do I believe the football program fosters, promotes or supports the behavior and actions of the four freshman boys,” he wrote. “It has now been a month and we were hoping the internal process would have been completed by now. The players and the football program has suffered a huge set back on what was a great season by both freshman and varsity players. Without dismissing the severity of the situation I believe it is not the responsibility of the coaches to chaperone freshman during the day, especially on a day when they don’t even have practice.”

Rob Holden wrote directly to the Reporter defending the integrity of the two coaches.

“Regarding supervision or lack thereof being in question, the coaches can’t be everywhere and see everything all the time,” he wrote. “It’s not physically possible. The fact that the incident was cut short due to the intervention of another player speaks to the positive influence the coaches have had, as opposed to allowing it to continue due to peer pressure or complacence.”

Tom and Beth Griffith wrote in a letter to the Reporter that their two sons had played football for the Rebels under the two coaches and called it the “highlight of their high school careers.”

“Both these men acted as mentors, leaders, and role models for my twin boys who are now sophomores in college,” the couple wrote.

The four students were arrested Oct. 23 after the male student and his family told police officers that he was assaulted the day before while in the school locker room by several younger male students. They were interviewed and released to their parents later that day.

Because of student privacy laws, the school cannot divulge further information, including discipline, according to Moed. Students are given an emergency expulsion if they impose a danger to other students or faculty members, according to Lake Washington School District spokesperson Kathryn Rieth. They can be allowed back to school if they are no longer determined to be a danger.

There has been no time table for a conclusion to the LWSD’s investigation or charges against the students from the King County Prosecutor’s Office. It is unclear why the two coaches were placed on leave.