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LA CRESCENT, Minn. — It could’ve slipped through unassumingly with the rest of the items in the La Crescent School Board consent agenda, but board member Bryan Tornow asked that the resignation of La Crescent head boys basketball coach — and new middle school physical education teacher — Craig Kowal be removed and discussed separately.

Tornow said he was “appalled” to find out, by reading the newspaper, that Kowal had accepted a head coaching position at Onalaska High School. Reflecting on past decisions during school district budget cuts, he remembers the school putting an emphasis on keeping teachers who doubled as coaches. He said the board “bent over backwards” to keep Kowal, because he was a good teacher and coach.

Now, because Kowal will continue to teach in the district, the school has just a coaching position opening, rather than a teaching and coaching opening, which might be more attractive to potential applicants. Tornow didn’t appreciate what Kowal’s jump did to the school, leaving it in the hiring quandary.

“To term it with an athletic comment, it was very ‘bush league’ of him to do this,” he said.

Tornow moved to not accept Kowal’s resignation until a suitable replacement was hired, with Kent Summerfield seconding the motion.

Board member Ruth Nissen advised the board to be careful about setting a precedent for this type of situation, because as it is, there are other coaches in the district who teach elsewhere.

Because of the timing of the announcement and resignation request, Tornow said, this situation was different.

Board member Kay Snuggerud said that in the past, the board had rejected resignation requests until replacements were found, so this decision would be nothing new.

Krenz said under law, he cannot have a contract at both places for the same position, so Kowal couldn’t officially sign the Onalaska contract.

The board unanimously approved the motion.