Coaches fired over old social media posts
High school, college and pro coaches. All of these cases date from 2018 to 2021. 5 published news cases, 2018 to 2021.
Scan yours first Every case links to its news source. Names left out on purpose.
- 4 of 5cases ended with the person losing the job, seat, admission or license.
In 4 of the 5 the person lost the role: 3 were dismissed, 1 had an offer or admission rescinded. In the other 1 they kept it, regained it or faced a suspension or reprimand instead. The content most often concerned race (3), politics (2), violence (1).
By type: like (2), photo (2), post or comment (1). Of these, 2 involved a like (see all cases of likes costing jobs).
These counts come from cases collected here. They are not a survey and say nothing about how often this happens. Names are left out, and each case links to its source.
The 5 cases
Lost the role2021College assistant football coach, Chattanooga, TNA tweet about a political candidate the outlet called racist
- What surfaced
- A tweet about a political candidate the outlet called racist
- How old it was
- Days
- How it came out
- Screenshots spread; a player's father warned recruits
- Outcome
- Fired 2 days later
- What to look for in your own history
- Posts or comments a stranger could read as demeaning a group, mocking a tragedy or wishing harm on someone.
Source: CBS Sports
Lost the role2021Goaltending coach hired by a pro hockey club's minor-league affiliate, Toronto, ONLiked posts and retweets that outlets described as transphobic, anti-vaccine and supportive of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack
- What surfaced
- Liked posts and retweets that outlets described as transphobic, anti-vaccine and supportive of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack
- How it came out
- Fans circulated screenshots after the hire was announced
- Outcome
- Club said two days after the hire that he would not join; it cited not following its own hiring protocols
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: Complex, Daily Hive
Lost the role2020First-year high school wrestling coach, Spanaway, WAPhoto posing with a knee on a neck, with a caption about the media
- What surfaced
- Photo posing with a knee on a neck, with a caption about the media
- How old it was
- Days
- How it came out
- Screenshots spread
- Outcome
- Fired
- What to look for in your own history
- Photos aren't read by the scan today. Review old photos by hand, including ones on accounts close to you.
Source: NBC News
Lost the role2019Assistant track coach and substitute teacher, Brown County, INA Halloween photo in blackface, set as his profile picture
- What surfaced
- A Halloween photo in blackface, set as his profile picture
- How old it was
- About 10 years
- How it came out
- Investigation after he made it his profile photo
- Outcome
- Both positions ended
- What to look for in your own history
- Photos aren't read by the scan today. Review old photos by hand, including ones on accounts close to you.
Source: CBS Sacramento (CNN Wire)
Kept or regained it2018High school head football coach, Venice, FLLiked a tweet the outlet called "allegedly racist" about a rival coach
- What surfaced
- Liked a tweet the outlet called "allegedly racist" about a rival coach
- How it came out
- The rival coach wrote to school officials
- Outcome
- Fired, later reinstated
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: FootballScoop
More cases by group
- School boards and local office (15)
- Athletes (10)
- Teachers (9)
- Police (9)
- Media and entertainment (9)
- Candidates and appointees (8)
- Executives (8)
- Healthcare (7)
- Fire, EMS and military (7)
- Finance and banking (7)
- Students (6)
- Law (5)
- Volunteers (4)
- Clergy and religious employers (4)
- Tech and corporate (4)
- Nonprofit and university leaders (4)
- Likes (11)
- Memes (23)
See all 127 cases and the key numbers
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PruneSocial scores the text in your own account exports, including likes and comments, against published screening categories and gives you one cleanup action for anything flagged. It also lists political, news-event and workplace commentary separately as reputation flags. Try a free 50-item preview.
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