Campbell High School basketball coaches James Gwyn and Randy McClure got their jobs back Thursday night, six weeks after their school fired them despite their 1,200 combined career victories and a gymnasium named after them.
Cobb County Schools Superintendent Chris Ragsdale announced the news at the district’s monthly school board meeting in Marietta.
“In our last board meeting, I promised this board that I would look into what I believed was the questionable decision and process leading to coach McClure and coach Gwyn, who are in the room tonight, two outstanding coaches and teachers, being nonrenewed by Campbell High School,” Ragsdale said.
“Tonight, I am pleased to report to the board that we concluded that investigation, and based on the results, I recommended coach McClure and coach Gwyn be offered contracts to be rehired by the Cobb County School District for the school year 2025-26. Both coaches accepted and signed their contracts. I am also pleased to report that the process leading to the recommendation for their nonrenewal has also been examined, and it is my expectation that it will not occur again.”
Gwyn became Campbell’s boys head coach in 1995. McClure became Campbell’s girls coach in 1990. In 2019, the Smyrna school named its gymnasium after their long-time coaches.
“I don’t want to say vindicated, but I feel that our efforts and dedication were not forgotten,” Gwyn told the AJC.
Said McClure, “I want to thank Mr. Ragsdale. For him to take time with this little issue with all he has to do, that means a lot. It wasn’t brushed to the side.”
Campbell told the coaches on March 11 that the school would not be renewing their contracts. No reason was given publicly. The coaches said they were told it was because of limited teacher allotments for the next academic year. Both coaches are part-time employees.
McClure’s girls team was 23-5 this past season. Gwyn’s boys team was 15-11. Both made the Class 7A quarterfinals in 2024.
Supporters of the coaches started a petition that garnered more than 4,000 signatures. Several attended the March 20 board meeting, and five of them spoke, moving Ragsdale to review the coaches’ dismissals.
“I’m very thankful to all these people who supported us, those who signed the petition, those who came out to the board meeting and spoke out on our behalf, those former players, our church, those who prayed,” McClure said. “This never happens. To me, it’s a God thing. They don’t normally do this, under no circumstances. I am grateful.”
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