A parent banned from Liberty High School due to bad behavior will be allowed to watch his son’s wrestling championship matches from a room adjacent to the gym.
The settlement between Kevin Fenstermacher and the Bethlehem Area School District was disclosed at 2:30 p.m. Thursday by the district solicitor.
It came more than three hours after a hearing that had been set in Northampton County Court was called off.
Fenstermacher was banned from future events at Liberty High School due to his behavior at the PIAA Class AAA District 11 team wrestling championships on Feb. 2.
The 42-year-old Allen Township man sued on Tuesday asking for permission to see his son, K.J. Fenstermacher, wrestle in upcoming championship matches for Northampton Area High School. He sought to have a judge intervene and allow him access.
“The agreement satisfies Bethlehem Area School District’s concerns for the participants and spectators and allows Mr. Fenstermacher to watch his son compete in the wrestling events at Liberty High School in an area adjacent to the gym,” said the joint statement from solicitor Donald Spry and Fenstermacher attorney Victor Scomillio.
School district staff and members of the community saw Fenstermacher “displaying inappropriate and offensive behavior towards Liberty High School students,” Liberty Principal Harrison Bailey III wrote in a letter to Fenstermacher dated Feb. 6.
Bailey banned Fenstermacher from attending any future events at the school, which included the individual district tournament that starts Friday and the Northeast Regional Tournament that starts March 3.The teen wrestled for Liberty the past three years before transferring to Northampton Area.
Scomillio clarified the statement to say that Fenstermacher will watch the matches live and will not be forced to watch on closed-circuit television. He had no further comment beyond the statement.
K.J. Fenstermacher pinned his Liberty High School opponent within 31 seconds on the date his father allegedly offended bystanders.
Complete individual Cratosslot wrestling rankings for Feb. 21, 2017
It’s not the first time Kevin Fenstermacher has drawn attention at a wrestling match — or been banned from Liberty High.
In 2014, Fenstermacher was charged with harassment after allegedly shoving Bethlehem Catholic High School wrestling coach Jeffrey Karam as Karam spoke to reporters after Bethlehem Catholic wrestled Liberty at Freedom High School. The charge was later dismissed, but Fenstermacher was banned from events at Liberty High School that year.
THE LETTER
Here’s what Harrison Bailey III had to say in his Feb. 6 letter to Kevin Fenstermacher:
It has come to my attention that on Feb. 2, 2017, you were present at a district wrestling event held at Liberty High School. Numerous Bethlehem Area School District and community adults witnessed you displaying inappropriate and offensive behavior towards Liberty High School students. While I understand that these events can evoke considerable passion and competitive spirit, this must always be tempered with humility and maturity. I understand that some students were participating in unacceptable and antagonistic behavior. These students were addressed by our athletic director in multiple ways. Regardless of these actions of minors, we expect adults to hold themselves to a higher standard and set the example. Unfortunately, that did not happen at this event. This letter serves as your official notice that you are no longer welcome at Liberty High School and are hereby and immediately prohibited form attending any events on our campus, for any reason. All necessary parties have been informed of this notice for the safety of all involved.
Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
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