LIBERTY TWP, Ohio - There's controversy in Liberty over the future of high school football coach Kevin Cylar.

More than 70 students walked out of school and gathered at the school board office where coach Cylar was meeting with the superintendent. The students want Cylar retained at Liberty because they say he's a mentor who cares about young people.

"We're pretty much saying that the guy is a good guy. There's no reason he should be fired or even in a scenario like this. It's a sad case but we're behind him 100 percent," said one Liberty senior.

Cylar says he was asked to resign the day after he stood by a former player, Darrell Mason, who was being sentenced on criminal charges and for being a leader of a gang called the Vic Boys.

"I felt that Darrell had done things that were wrong and he needs to be punished, but his whole life shouldn't be thrown away," Cylar said

Superintendent Stan Watson says he can't comment because it's a personnel matter. Watson says Cylar is going through the districts normal process for contract renewals, and it's not related to the Mason case. Cylar says he has reason to question that.

"When I go in his office for the meeting I look on his notes and I see Darrell Mason's name and I see Vic Boys," said Cylar.

Cylar says he feels his days at Liberty are probably over.

"My principal told me that it would be better and that things would get messy if I did not quit," according to Cylar.

A parent, Barry Demattia says that would be too bad. "He actually cares about the kids," Demattia said.

Cylar said he was not involved in the walk-out and had asked the students not to do it. He did lead the student demonstrators back to school, but the principal says there will be consequences for their disruptive action.

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