Published On: November 29th, 2022Categories: California News

A Beverly Hills High School wrestling coach was fired after shoving a student in an incident that was caught on camera, school district officials said.

Campus security footage recorded Nov. 2 and released through a public records request shows the coach, Ryan Faintich, speaking with the student as another boy stands nearby. The coach places his hand on the student’s shoulder and pushes him once before continuing to talk, then shoves the student twice more before leaving.

The coach was suspended immediately after the incident and was fired last week, Beverly Hills Unified School District officials said.

“A few weeks ago, I was utterly disappointed to learn of an incident that took place where an employee was physically aggressive towards a student,” Supt. Michael Bregy said in a statement. “Appropriate steps were immediately taken to thoroughly investigate the event. No stone was left unturned, witnesses were interviewed, and the video footage from before, during, and after the incident was scrutinized. The employee no longer works for BHUSD.”

At a Beverly Hills school board meeting last week, many speakers called for Faintich to be reinstated.

“Please, board, I ask you, I beg you to please reevaluate and reinstate Coach Ryan,” said one speaker who identified herself as the mother of a senior on the wrestling team.

Several speakers alleged that Faintich had been defending another student during the incident.

One speaker, who identified himself as a student present during the altercation, alleged that the student Faintich shoved had bullied and assaulted a wrestler, giving him a black eye.

Faintich spoke at the meeting and apologized for his actions.

“A lot of people came here today angry and upset and wanted an apology on the way this matter was handled,” Faintich said. “It is I that owe them that apology.”

“The choice I made to make contact physically with a student of Beverly Hills was not the right way to handle the situation. There was a better way to handle it,” he said.

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