Wall sketch and video result in administrative investigations
Controversy involving a sketch drawn on a wall inside the home of a former North Fort Myers High baseball coach has now resulted in both school district and sheriff’s office administrative investigations.
Two teens allegedly involved in a video showing former head baseball coach David Bechtol strike the image of current coach Tavaris Gary with a sledgehammer as the wall was taken down for a remodeling project were disciplined by the Lee County School District, officials said.
Amity Chandler, district spokesperson, said the district could not release the names of the students nor the discipline handed down.
Chandler did say that according to the system’s code of conduct, the alleged infraction was a Level 2 offense, which can result in in-school or out-of-school suspension, the loss of privileges and ability to take part in school activities, including graduation ceremonies.
On Wednesday, Sawyer Smith of the Wilbur Smith Law Firm, which represents current North Fort Myers High School head baseball coach Tavaris Gary, sent a letter to School Superintendent Nancy Graham demanding an investigation into the matter, which officials say was conducted and concluded the same day.
The school system was looking into specific acts including the drawing of the caricature sketch that included large lips, a noose around its neck and Gary’s name, as well as a video of Gary’s predecessor, Bechtol, strikinging the image with a sledgehammer.
The video, reportedly shot by one of the teenagers, was uploaded to social media.
“The incident is a violent display of racist hatred and is not constitutionally protected speech. There is evidence that two young men, both whom evidence shows are students within the School District of Lee County, were also involved in the display” the letter states.
Smith said in the letter the incident is classified as cyber-bullying and harassment under the system’s code of conduct and violates Florida Statute 1006.147 because it was directed at an employee of the school system.
This came one day after the law firm demanded the termination of Shelley Bechtol, a Lee County Sheriff’s Office employee and wife of the former coach, for her alleged role in the video.
Shelley Bechtol, a three-year employee with the LCSO, was placed on administrative leave Tuesday morning by Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott, who also ordered an internal investigation into the matter.
Smith said it is unknown whether they will file a suit against the Bechtols and that the firm was conducting its own investigation into the matter.
“We’re looking into who was a part of this, how it happened. There are a lot of questions that need answered. He wants his civil rights advocated for and we’re doing that.” Smith said.
Gary was named head coach this winter, becoming the first African-American head baseball coach in Lee County since schools desegregated in 1969.
Meanwhile, David Bechtol said last Tuesday he remains “sick to his stomach” over the matter and insists it was not meant as a racial attack as he believes media reports have made it out to be.
“There was no malicious intent. It was not planned. It was something quick where I was working, I turned around and hit a picture, along with two others, who were caucasian,” Bechtol said. “I had a kitchen to renovate. We were tearing down walls and cabinets.”
Bechtol said the lighting was dim and didn’t see the pictures well enough to realize what they could be construed as.
The pictures, which were less than eight inches in diameter, were of people the Bechtols had tiffs with over the years, drawn by his wife. Hitting them with a sledgehammer was to symbolize the family had moved on, Bechtol said.
Gary was a junior varsity coach under Bechtol for two months before being elevated to varsity coach. Bechtol, who had coached North for three years, was elated over getting Gary and liked him at first, but was upset over losing his job, unjustifiably, he thought, as he was under contract.
“I was hurt. Who wouldn’t be in that situation? The seniors on the team were freshmen when I got there,” Bechtol said. “He was a teacher at the school, so I get it, but it hurts.”
His two sons, who are seniors, played for Gary this season.
Bechtol said there was no noose or big lips when Shelley originally drew the pictures. Someone did that while he and others were working in the kitchen. He added that Shelley thought someone had drawn a straw out of Gary’s head.
“Somebody doodled something when me and my wife were putting up some wood in the kitchen,” Bechtol said. “There were five teenagers in the house who were helping bring the cabinets out and one of them doodled something.”
David said he had picked up a sledgehammer, walked to the wall, slammed the picture and walked away.
The following day, when the video surfaced on Facebook, Bechtol said he was sick and felt sorry for Tavaris and the family.
“I wanted to call him immediately, I felt so terrible for them. They did not deserve that and I did not know that was there,” Bechtol said. “I just want to tell him my side and that I’m sorry, not because of what I did, but because of what I saw. There was never a racial intent. I would never allow that in my house.”
Bechtol said he has taken kids who are African-American into his home, driven them to and from school even if they didn’t go to the same school as his kids, and helped tutor them into the honor roll.
“Does that sound racist to you? This is what we’ve done. We’ve coached Little League and Pop Warner for 11 years and there were African-American kids on the team. Ask them if they thought I was racist,” Bechtol said.
Bechtol said he has tried to contact Gary and arrange a meeting with him at the school, but that Gary has declined.