Eden Prairie Coach

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www.startribune.com

Eden Prairie families to get input in new hire after coach resigns over racist slur

A statement released by the school after David Flom's resignation included a request to families for "feedback from you and our players" as the school seeks a new coach.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com


""In December, I inadvertently read aloud another person's use of a racial epithet in the context of teaching a lesson about the long-lasting and damaging impact of racist language and irresponsible use of social media," Flom said in the statement. "My reading of another person's words caused harm, and I am truly sorry to everyone I hurt."

Flom said he "can only ask for grace and forgiveness."

After his reinstatement, some players of color quit the team. Their families hired a lawyer who alleged Flom's language had made the basketball team hostile to Black players, and those families protested at home games late in the season. At Eden Prairie's final game of the season March 8, one sign in the crowd said, "Do you inspire each? No." Another said, "We need a uniter, not a divider."

At the school board meeting Monday, senior Jermell Taylor, a Black player who left the basketball program, said he hoped the protests would make a difference for future Eden Prairie players. "If this isn't fixed, how would other kids growing up be able to trust their coach?" he asked.

One team chose not to play Eden Prairie after Flom's reinstatement. North St. Paul canceled its Jan. 27 game at Eden Prairie; a school official said the players voted unanimously not to play.

Others familiar with Flom have said his approach is good.

"He has been outstanding with our basketball program and in the community," Sam Remus, president of the Eden Prairie Boys Basketball Association and father of sophomore player Jackson Remus, said in December. "He has a great reputation.

"He is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in our program."

Intentions vs. results

Flom said his intent as a coach was to teach.

"I tried to be more than just a basketball coach," he said. "I took great pride in attempting to teach life lessons to my players. Unfortunately, my execution of this particular lesson was regrettable."

He said he understands that "mistakes, even those unintended, have consequences."

Former Minneapolis North coach Larry McKenzie, who participated with Flom in a podcast in 2021 called "Racial Inequality Revisited," said Friday he hoped the situation at Eden Prairie would lead to change.

"I don't know when it will be, but at some point, we have to be able to have tough, courageous conversations," said McKenzie, who is Black.

Flom accumulated a record of 393-165 at Eden Prairie. The Eagles went 28-0 in 2020, and Flom was selected the National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year that season. No state tournament was played that season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Flom coached the Eagles to eight state tournament appearances, including a runner-up finish in 2011.

"The Eden Prairie basketball program has meant so much to my family and me," Flom said. "I am hopeful Eden Prairie boys basketball continues its strong tradition under the direction of new leadership."


www.startribune.com

Eden Prairie families to get input in new hire after coach resigns over racist slur

A statement released by the school after David Flom's resignation included a request to families for "feedback from you and our players" as the school seeks a new coach.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
 



Gophers_4life said:
The lawsuit played no part in the slightest.


Indeed, it shall not be allowed that parents can just file a frivolous suit against a school/district because they don’t like the coach. GTFOH with that trash.
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They can file what they want.
 

SHGopher said:
www.startribune.com

Eden Prairie families to get input in new hire after coach resigns over racist slur

A statement released by the school after David Flom's resignation included a request to families for "feedback from you and our players" as the school seeks a new coach.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com


""In December, I inadvertently read aloud another person's use of a racial epithet in the context of teaching a lesson about the long-lasting and damaging impact of racist language and irresponsible use of social media," Flom said in the statement. "My reading of another person's words caused harm, and I am truly sorry to everyone I hurt."

Flom said he "can only ask for grace and forgiveness."

After his reinstatement, some players of color quit the team. Their families hired a lawyer who alleged Flom's language had made the basketball team hostile to Black players, and those families protested at home games late in the season. At Eden Prairie's final game of the season March 8, one sign in the crowd said, "Do you inspire each? No." Another said, "We need a uniter, not a divider."

At the school board meeting Monday, senior Jermell Taylor, a Black player who left the basketball program, said he hoped the protests would make a difference for future Eden Prairie players. "If this isn't fixed, how would other kids growing up be able to trust their coach?" he asked.

One team chose not to play Eden Prairie after Flom's reinstatement. North St. Paul canceled its Jan. 27 game at Eden Prairie; a school official said the players voted unanimously not to play.

Others familiar with Flom have said his approach is good.

"He has been outstanding with our basketball program and in the community," Sam Remus, president of the Eden Prairie Boys Basketball Association and father of sophomore player Jackson Remus, said in December. "He has a great reputation.

"He is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in our program."

Intentions vs. results

Flom said his intent as a coach was to teach.

"I tried to be more than just a basketball coach," he said. "I took great pride in attempting to teach life lessons to my players. Unfortunately, my execution of this particular lesson was regrettable."

He said he understands that "mistakes, even those unintended, have consequences."

Former Minneapolis North coach Larry McKenzie, who participated with Flom in a podcast in 2021 called "Racial Inequality Revisited," said Friday he hoped the situation at Eden Prairie would lead to change.

"I don't know when it will be, but at some point, we have to be able to have tough, courageous conversations," said McKenzie, who is Black.

Flom accumulated a record of 393-165 at Eden Prairie. The Eagles went 28-0 in 2020, and Flom was selected the National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year that season. No state tournament was played that season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Flom coached the Eagles to eight state tournament appearances, including a runner-up finish in 2011.

"The Eden Prairie basketball program has meant so much to my family and me," Flom said. "I am hopeful Eden Prairie boys basketball continues its strong tradition under the direction of new leadership."


www.startribune.com

Eden Prairie families to get input in new hire after coach resigns over racist slur

A statement released by the school after David Flom's resignation included a request to families for "feedback from you and our players" as the school seeks a new coach.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
Click to expand...
Wow!! Get that devil outta there! Thank the lord! Now all that hostility can end. All good now.
 


Eden Prairie chimes in:

Eden Prairie's boys basketball program is headed in a new direction following a 2022-23 campaign mired in turmoil.

The Eagles have hired Alexander "Zander" Culver to replace embattled David Flom, according to a news release from the school's athletic department. Flom resigned from his coaching position April 7 amid controversy for reading a racial slur to his players.

Russ Reetz, associate principal of student activities at Eden Prairie, said in the release that Culver "is going to support and inspire our athletes to become better people and better players."

Culver, who has been Roseville's coach the past four seasons, plans to meet with Eden Prairie families on Monday. He just had his first winning season (14-13) at Roseville, compiling a 29-70 record during his tenure.

Culver previously served as an assistant coach at Wayzata. He played college basketball at Winona State.

He replaces Flom, who was suspended by the school district on Dec. 8 following complaints about a racial slur he read to players from a social media post during a classroom session. He was reinstated as the Eagles' coach on Jan. 23.

Flom guided the Eagles for 17 years, compiling a career record of 393-195. Eden Prairie went 28-0 in 2020, and Flom was selected the National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year that season. Flom remains an elementary school teacher in the Eden Prairie school district, where he has taught since 2006.

www.startribune.com

Eden Prairie hires Alexander Culver to coach boys basketball

Culver, who had been coaching at Roseville, replaces David Flom, who resigned amid protests over his use of a racial slur in a classroom setting.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
 

















SoMpls said:
Love diversity hires! Better then a privilege coach
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It is a privilege coach. It's called black privilege. You get jobs you're not qualified for, you can have opinions on things that only your race is allowed to have opinions on. Can't get arrested anymore due to racial bias. Really is a great time to be a black man in America.
 

MonikerSchmoniker45 said:
It is a privilege coach. It's called black privilege. You get jobs you're not qualified for, you can have opinions on things that only your race is allowed to have opinions on. Can't get arrested anymore due to racial bias. Really is a great time to be a black man in America.
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This is a Wild statement & how can someone not be qualified for a high school coaching position. There are schools who have coaches who have never coached basketball a day in their life and are trying for the first time. It’s one thing to say America has evolved as a country but to act like there are no bias or people are just make 💩 up is ridiculous
 

GopherPlaya said:
This is a Wild statement & how can someone not be qualified for a high school coaching position. There are schools who have coaches who have never coached basketball a day in their life and are trying for the first time. It’s one thing to say America has evolved as a country but to act like there are no bias or people are just make 💩 up is ridiculous
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Just responding to a ridiculous post with another ridiculous post. Of course bias exists, it exists against white people too.
 

MonikerSchmoniker45 said:
Just responding to a ridiculous post with another ridiculous post. Of course bias exists, it exists against white people too.
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Agree, but if the majority of people in positions to hire or lead are non-black people, and these biases exist, don't you think that can cause all the complaints and frustration? There have been people who are qualified for positions who don't get interviews because of their names. Also, we can't just say this is a diversity hire without knowing who else was interested in the position. After the whole situation with Flom, there wouldn't be the cream of the crop coaches applying for this position.
 

GopherPlaya said:
Agree, but if the majority of people in positions to hire or lead are non-black people, and these biases exist, don't you think that can cause all the complaints and frustration? There have been people who are qualified for positions who don't get interviews because of their names. Also, we can't just say this is a diversity hire without knowing who else was interested in the position. After the whole situation with Flom, there wouldn't be the cream of the crop coaches applying for this position.
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Do you think that's true with every situation where people are hired across racial/ethnic lines?

There are certainly people who do better in the US than white Christians. How have they navigated the situation and is it problematic when they are in hiring positions? Many of them are also part of groups that promote diversity and "women in (name your profession)" and then they are the ones hiring you. They are openly promoting and encouraging their biases. They are telling you diversity is strength as many of them are hiring people who look like them (women promoting hiring more women, people of color promoting hiring "diverse" candidates, etc.).

I'm not saying any of that stuff is wrong, I have fully accepted that it's the world that we live, but most people squint to find these issues in only one direction. In my opinion, it's just easier to hire on merit. Some people suck and won't be able to recognize merit because of their biases (in all directions), but I just don't think any of the steps we take to correct that wrong are effective. If I hired based on people who had a similar background as me, my firm would be lapped in terms of our legal talent.

Was the guy hired as a diversity hire? I don't know. I've actually heard really good things about him, so I'd say probably not. But the unfortunate thing about the world we live, he's going to get accused of it because diversity hires do happen and he has a losing record. People cannot promote diversity hiring practices and demand people not notice.
 


Bob_Loblaw said:
Do you think that's true with every situation where people are hired across racial/ethnic lines?

There are certainly people who do better in the US than white Christians. How have they navigated the situation and is it problematic when they are in hiring positions? Many of them are also part of groups that promote diversity and "women in (name your profession)" and then they are the ones hiring you. They are openly promoting and encouraging their biases. They are telling you diversity is strength as many of them are hiring people who look like them (women promoting hiring more women, people of color promoting hiring "diverse" candidates, etc.).

I'm not saying any of that stuff is wrong, I have fully accepted that it's the world that we live, but most people squint to find these issues in only one direction. In my opinion, it's just easier to hire on merit. Some people suck and won't be able to recognize merit because of their biases (in all directions), but I just don't think any of the steps we take to correct that wrong are effective. If I hired based on people who had a similar background as me, my firm would be lapped in terms of our legal talent.

Was the guy hired as a diversity hire? I don't know. I've actually heard really good things about him, so I'd say probably not. But the unfortunate thing about the world we live, he's going to get accused of it because diversity hires do happen and he has a losing record. People cannot promote diversity hiring practices and demand people not notice.
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I hear what you are saying. Calling a coach a diversity hire for a high school coaching position is just crazy IMO. It's not like there are African American coaches getting positions outside of Minneapolis or a school that has a rising population of students of color
 

It is a shade above volunteer work. Many of us here know this to be true.
 

MonikerSchmoniker45 said:
Just responding to a ridiculous post with another ridiculous post. Of course bias exists, it exists against white people too.
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I'll assume the poster meant things like nepotism. That would be a valid thing to call privileged.

Saying any time a white person gets hired for anything is "privilege" is as fake and racist as just plain ol being racist against black people. Exact same thing. I assume that is what you were talking about, and if it was the case then I agree with you. But thinking and hoping that was not the case.
 

GopherPlaya said:
I hear what you are saying. Calling a coach a diversity hire for a high school coaching position is just crazy IMO. It's not like there are African American coaches getting positions outside of Minneapolis or a school that has a rising population of students of color
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???

Wild guess (depending on reference time period): schools like Richfield, St Louis Park, Fridley.
 


MonikerSchmoniker45 said:
Just responding to a ridiculous post with another ridiculous post. Of course bias exists, it exists against white people too.
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It’s not the same clown, and a lot of people all this board feel the same way as you unfortunately… btw when has it ever been a good time to be black in America? I assume you must’ve attended school in Florida.
 

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