Former Kiski baseball coach files lawsuit after contract runs out, claims retribution

A former Kiski School District baseball coach is suing the district after it did not renew his contract. 

According to the lawyer of Mark Flemm Jr., he's claiming political retaliation because not only was he the only applicant for the position, but had the support of the athletic director and superintendent. 

However, the school board hired someone else. 

Flemm's lawyer is accusing the board of holding a grudge against him as he enforced masking rules during the pandemic. 

"We have an eyewitness who will testify that in secret meetings, these members of the school board said openly, 'We now have a chance to get rid of this guy who stood up for the masking all those years and who has adverse political views to ours,'" said Joel Sansone, Flemm's attorney. "That testimony is going to come into a courtroom, and when it does, these people will be unmasked because this is lawless conduct."

The Kiski Area superintendent told KDKA-TV in part, "Additional candidates were sought when the application pool was limited. [The] administration made a recommendation for a candidate chosen based on a history of experience in baseball and program familiarity. The board exercised its authority to approve that recommendation." 

Flemm had been a coach and mentor for several athletic teams and programs with Kiski for more than 15 years.