Family members and friends turn out in support of William Atlas and Thomas Baia (WBEN Photo/Barbara Burns)
Posted: Wednesday, 08 July 2009 3:12PM
Wilson Coaches Speak Out
Wilson, NY (WBEN Newsroom) -- Surrounded by family members, friends and students, two Wilson High School coaches spoke out this afternoon, a couple of days after child endangerment charges against them were dropped by the Niagara County D-A's office.
Thomas Baia and William Atlas declared their innocence and desire to return to coaching in the Wilson School District. "To be crystal cIear, I am totally innocent of a charge of child endangerment" said Atlas . Choking back tears, Atlas added he prides himself as a disciplinarian, ethical educator and coach and the accusations against him have crushed that. Baia said "I am a teacher and a coach who demands a high level of excellent behavior on and off the field...never, never would I knowingly allow a student to be physically abusive to another student."
First charged with a felony after two students alleged they were the victims of a sexual hazing on a bus ride back from a baseball game in April of 2007, the charges against the coaches were later reduced to misdemeanors and dropped altogether Monday by Niagara County D-A Michael Violante.
Atlas, Baia and their spokesman Mike Paul place much of the blame on NYS Police investigators who they say rushed to judgement in the case. Paul questioned "do you have enough evidence to clearly, two-and-a-half days later or perhaps only hours later from a Friday to a Monday, to label a town and coaches and students with sexual hazing...they chose yes." Paul also says the two students who claim they were abused are lying. He is calling for the results of an internal state police investigation to be released once the probe is complete.
Atlas and Baia are on paid leave but Wilson school board members could consider reinstating the two at next week's board meeting.
Meantime, two students who went to trial on child endangerment charges await a verdict in their case which could come any day.
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