People passionate on both sides an issue were vying for a school board's vote in Farrell Monday night.
 
Supporters of EJ McCluskey spoke passionately about what a great man he was.

The coach led the basketball team to seven championships.

Many talked about how their coach taught them hard work, discipline and to never give up, not just on the basketball court, but in life.

"To me he was an inspiration. He was an educator, he was a mentor, he was a heck of a coach," said Dr. Brian Generalovich.

Others expressed it's outlandish that the late coach McCluskey's name is being tainted almost 35 years after his death.

Some former players and supporters who worked with McCluskey told the school board that they never saw the police, Children Services or parents in the gym during the time he was associated with the coach.

Some expressed that corporal punishment was used back then by parents, teachers and coaches.

But others who say the coaches behavior abusive explain paddling and slapping a hand with a ruler was legal then. Not punishing or physically beating on a teen student.

Some people who are for Coach McCluskey's name remaining on the Farrell gymnasium question why is this bring brought up now, and no one spoke up decades ago.

The people who say McCluskey was a great coach but not a good person, explain it was the 60's when school was first integrated and black people lived in fear, they just didn't speak up.

McCluskey coached basketball from 1948 to 1972 in Farrell.

"For him to hit Richard Chambers in his face five times, You could see him. He hit so hard he spit blood out of his mouth," emphasized Ernest Somerset.
Somerset showed us a balled up fist with knuckles as the way the coach hit Chambers a student athlete.

One woman who works in mental health told folks there that everyone has their truth, adding that maybe Mr. McCluskey didn't assault you, That's your truth, but he did assault other people and that's their truth.

"The Cleveland Indians are not the Indians anymore. Jeep is changing it's name for the Cherokee. Things change over time, and with knowledge comes wisdom, and with wisdom we do different things," said Jacyntah Mocabee.

But the Farrell School Board voted to do things the same and keep the gym named after Coach Edward McCluskey.

The vote was five to keep the gym named in honor of the coach, four school board members voted to remove the coaches name from the gym.

But Brian K. Sanders says the quest for accountability is not over.

"We are going to file a class action lawsuit and they will still have to answer to somebody. How can you have a bullying policy and keep a bully's name on your school gym where people who were victims get victimized again every time they drive down Roemer Boulevard?," asked Sanders.