GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Within 24 hours, an online petition organized by Lehua Collins to reinstate East High School head football coach Kominiko Sila gathered more than 1,000 signatures.
Sila was placed on administrative leave by the Green Bay Area Public School District October 16, one day before the Red Devils’ final game of the season.
“There were kids at the football game on Friday that were crying,” said Collins, Sila’s sister.
The school district confirmed Sila’s leave with NBC 26 but did not provide a reason for the decision, saying it was a “personnel matter.”
Charlie Braner, President of the East High Gridiron Club, said he learned of Sila’s leave from a group text message Sila sent to some parents of the club.
The message read:
“Just letting y’all know, I will not be there for team dinner and the game tomorrow. I’m beyond thankful for you.”
Brawner writes that the message left him feeling “completely helpless.”
When contacted via text message, Sila told NBC 26 he was not allowed to comment as an investigation was ongoing, but he did state that he was “trying to keep a positive mindset.”
During the lunch hour October 20th, East High School students held a protest across the street from the school.
Collins was in attendance.
Watch the full story by Jessica Goska here:
“They came across the street, and they just chanted ‘Bring Niko back.’ That was very heartwarming,” said Collins.
A former student of Sila’s, Jenna Neurenberg, described the community’s response to Sila’s leave as an “uproar.”
“Everybody is upset by it,” commented Neurenberg.
She was an early signer on the petition.
“He really just made an impact and made a lot of people feel important, myself included,” said Neurenberg.
Neurenberg first met Sila around 2018, when she was a student advocate at Lombardi Middle School.
“He was starting a multicultural group, and it really unified our grade, actually,” she explained.
A message from Sila to NBC 26 says, “The voices of the students, parents and community has lifted my spirits. Everyone, stay safe and stay peaceful.”
