GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Following nearly five hours of discussion, accusations, and emotional testimony, the Green Bay Area Public Schools Board of Education voted on Wednesday to fire embattled Green Bay East varsity football coach and staff member Niko Sila.
After a meeting that lasted nearly five hours, the board voted 5-2 in favor of firing Sila.
In a statement, the school district said his firing was based on two areas of misconduct: Intentional falsification of student attendance records and unauthorized transportation of students without complying with board policy.
The school district says that on more than 140 occasions from September 5 to October 15 of this year, Sila deleted "accurate and official student absence records" from the district's student record systems.
"These actions resulted in false student attendance records that were relied upon for athletic participation eligibility, and School and District reporting requirements for the purpose of state report cards and a federal grant that East currently receives; and interfered with system absence notification to parents, and prevented attendance interventions to be triggered and implemented," the statement read.
The district also said Sila "repeatedly transported students in his personal vehicle while refusing to complete the required vehicle inspection and driver's license background check.
A group of dozens of Sila's allies attended the meeting to support the coach. Sila also stated during the meeting that he now plans to run for school board next spring.
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Sila has been on leave for more than a month amid an ongoing investigation.
Earlier this month, representatives of Sila - including his wife, Chelci - gathered at Joannes Park to announce that he would decline the resignation offer.
Stephanie Ortiz, an ally of Sila's who has attended district meetings with him, told NBC 26 dozens of allegations against Sila include themes of undermining school staff and administration, violations of professional policy when interacting with students—and, most recently, during the investigation—violating a no-contact order with East High students.
The school district says there's more.
"Mr. Sila and his representatives have shared with the media an incomplete accounting of the allegations," GBAPS said in a statement last month.
In the event at Joannes Park earlier this month, Chelci Sila emphasized that the allegations do not involve any sexual misconduct or alcohol, and said she has asked the district to make that clear publicly.
