OVIEDO, Fla. — The former Oviedo High School head football coach has been suspended without pay for three days after a series of 9 Investigates stories exposed inappropriate contact between players in the locker room known as “Code Reds," in which players would target younger football players in the locker room.
Former head football coach Matt Dixon was benched but was allowed to continue teaching at the school.
Dixon was issued a disciplinary letter from the school district Dec. 18.
In the letter, Superintendent Walt Griffin admonished Dixon for violating school district policies when it came to not supervising his players in the locker room.
As punishment, Griffin suspended Dixon for three days without pay in his role as a physical education teacher at the high school for violating district policy while he was head coach.
Griffin wrote that Dixon acknowledged the lack of supervision during the 2018-19 school year and even lectured all the players that the behavior was not to occur or there would be consequences.
Griffin went on to write, “However, and more disconcerting, even with your previous knowledge that this type of behavior existed in the locker rooms, you failed to put effective measures in place to ensure that these students would not be subjected to this type of inappropriate treatment which led to additional complaints by students and parents.”
Griffin also took issue with Dixon’s response to the investigative reports findings, in which Dixon said his concerns to improve supervision fell on deaf ears for the principals, athletic director and the district.
“If you had concerns as you described in your response, you would have taken the initiative to proactively address those with the principal,” Griffin wrote.
Griffin also said the advice Dixon was given by Oviedo police not to stand in the locker room and supervise doesn’t wash. Griffin said Dixon should have asked for clarification since it contradicts his responsibilities as an educator to protect students from an unsafe environment.
Read 9 Investigates' previous stories about Oviedo High School's football team below, and watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for in-depth coverage on this developing story.
- Fourth parent alleges abusive culture, video shows noose hanging in Oviedo H.S. locker room
- Father of Oviedo HS football player under investigation says son was 'blindsided' by claims
- 3 Oviedo High football players benched for final game after allegations of locker room abuse
- 'I was just sexually assaulted': Son's text message shows toxicity at Oviedo HS, dad says
- District completes investigation into unwanted touching in Oviedo HS locker room
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