ESJ’s Dauterive to meet with Millet about investigation
Published 12:00 am Thursday, October 21, 2010
An investigation by the St. John Parish School Board is ongoing into a series of comments made by East St. John football coach and Athletic Director Larry Dauterive at a Quarterback Club meeting this week.
The coach is set to meet with School Board Superintendent Courtney Millet at 9 a.m. Friday morning, said Dauterive Thursday night. He had no further comment on the issue.
The investigation began after a number of complaints were levied to the school board, highlighting comments made by Dauterive at the meeting regarding the makeup of his team. Dauterive said that most of his players come from single parent homes and many struggle to make the grades needed to academically qualify. As such, he felt he wore the hat of a father figure to most.
“I’m the only poppa they’ve got,” said Dauterive. “I’m the only chance (for them) to get out of there … We don’t have many Phi Beta Kappas on our team. We have a few that maintain a 3.0, the rest are just glad to be there, so we’re trying to keep them eligible.”
Dauterive also noted that many of his players lacked the advantages of those at other schools. He said that his team would eat after Friday night games but many players might not see another good meal until breakfast at school on Monday morning.
He also spoke of the challenges of being a “white coach coaching 100-percent black children.”
Millet could not be immediately reached for comment.
Dauterive is in his ninth season as Wildcats’ coach.
East St. John is 7-0 this season and will travel to face Destrehan on Friday night.