Parents and current and former RHAM High School players attended a special Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night to defend their coach, Timothy Guernsey, who was accused of bullying and violating student confidentiality.
The meeting was scheduled after school officials receive three anonymous letters making accusations against the boys baseball and girls volleyball and basketball coach and threatening litigation.
"Coach Guernsey is really the only victim of bullying here, and we need to stand up for him," said Courtney Masna, a RHAM High School student.
Following the executive session, a unanimous decision was made to allow the superintendent to have an attorney investigate the threat of a lawsuit, student privacy and whether the school is complying with its policy on bullying.
NBC Connecticut obtained all three letters from a RHAM High School parent.
They were written by "A group of concerned parents and taxpayers" and accuse Guernsey of conducting drills to the point of having a player vomit and then making freshmen clean it up. It also alleges that Guernsey screamed at a player, saying, "You suck and that is the reason we lost."
"All of these allegations are completely false," Masna said.
"He pushes you to your limits by challenging you to be a better player but never in a bullying or aggressive manner," said Sarah Veilleux, a RHAM High School student who Guernsey currently coaches.
NBC Connecticut dropped by Guernsey's home for comment, but no one answered the door.
Guernsey has coached at RHAM High School for more than a decade.
At the end of the October letter, it says "We expect to see changes made and postings for the coaching positions for any of the sports he is currently coaching ... in the next two weeks."
