Swim Coach Ouster Is an Outrage

This letter is to voice my outrage after reading the article “Oxnard High Swimmers Rally Behind Ousted Coach,” June 27, which disclosed that Coach Larry Rafaelli was being fired from the teaching staff at Oxnard High School, as well as coaching both water polo and swimming, after over 25 years of dedicated service to our community.

Rafaelli was my swim coach 20 years ago and now he is coaching my daughter, Leah Fredette. He was an excellent instructor then, and he still is today. His positive attitude reflected daily how much he loved his job at Oxnard High.

What a sad and sorry state Oxnard High School has given way to. Rafaelli has touched the lives of so many people in such a positive way. To see him go is disheartening. Our schools need more people like Rafaelli, not less.

Thank you, Mr. Rafaelli, for all your efforts, and for your tireless endeavors to make the swim program at Oxnard High School as positive, healthy and fun as you could make it.

NORMA D. BREDA

Oxnard

Ventura County Letters