Gough: Ten years of frustration with lack of support for softball program led Henze to go public … and he got fired for it

Darrell Henze said if he had just said he was sorry, he believes he would still be the softball coach for Quincy High School.

But he just couldn’t do it.

His termination was made official following a lengthy Quincy School Board meeting on Feb. 26. Henze was upset with the way the situation regarding the field and lighting conditions at the QHS softball and baseball complex was being handled and took to social media to air his grievance.

He and his attorney, Casey Schnack, attempted to plead his case during the school board’s executive session and a group of his players were also allowed to address the board. The board still unanimously voted to fire him.

Henze sat down with Muddy River News for a 45 minute interview on March 3 to discuss what happened during the closed session meeting. Quincy Public School officials were informed the interview was happening and given an opportunity to respond. They declined.

We have broken the interview into two segments. The first half is how Henze’s firing came about:

The second half is what led to his frustration in the first place — What he saw as the lack of support QHS baseball and softball receive from the school district:

Despite glowing evaluations from his superiors over the last few years, Henze was still let go because he wouldn’t bend the knee. He stood up for his program and was shown the door for it.

That Henze wasn’t given a suspension as QHS basketball coach Andy Douglas was five years ago after his DUI arrest is still pretty baffling. But, Douglas showed contrition for his offense, which most would find more egregious than a tweet that hurt someone’s feelings.

There are also different people in the roles of school board president and superintendent than there were five years ago, but I’m not sure that should matter if an organization is striving to be consistent in its mission and values.

I fully supported Douglas getting a second chance after his incident and he has made the most of it. Second chances should always be strongly considered for actions that are less than capital offenses.

It would’ve been nice for at least one school board member or someone in the district’s administration show public support for Henze, but that’s not how they want it at QPS. Fall in line or you’ll fall out.

Also, for the school board to not allow any public comment after the confusion in the audience about if they were supposed to speak was pretty weak. School Board President Shelly Arns opened up for public comment while other students were filing out, gave about 20 seconds and then moved on. Arns should have CLEARLY said “if you are here to address any other issues, now is the time” and didn’t.

This is a school board that chafed when the public berated them over the COVID debacle. To be fair, no one knew what they were doing then. They don’t like public criticism. they don’t like to be questioned and they want unanimous kumbaya votes on everything. There were board members who wanted to support Henze, but they were talked out of it.

Again, remember when Roy Webb applied for the Hannibal job and reneged on it after publicly taking umbrage to “split votes” by their school board? Possibly, one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard a public official say. Look up democracy in the dictionary.

The way this district operates, I’m not sure I agree with Henze’s assessment that he would’ve kept his job had he caved.

The District got egg on its face and we know how expensive an egg is these days.