Brian Bevill is a fishing coach at Illini Bluff High School, so he thought… he hasn’t been terminated but didn’t receive his $1,200 to operate the Bass fishing team this year.
Why?
Bevill did not submit to weekly testing or proof of vaccination.
“I have to test weekly or get vaccinated, one of the two to coach the team. If I don’t do so I am excluded from school property at this time. Although I have not been terminated. That still hangs in limbo,” said Bevill. “The bottom line here is that it is a public health issue. We have issues everyday when we walk outside. We’re exposed to the environment everyday. This is not an occupational hazard where I would have to test for because I’m going to endanger my fellow workers or students.”
Bevill said he holds a full time job besides coaching.
“When I’m there throughout the week I’m not at the school or on the school property at that time,” said Bevill. “Although I’ve been excluded from school property. Not being able to contact or coach my kids in the program that I started 12 years ago and has been highly successful. We’ve been to the state finals five times in the last 12 years. We’ve won our conference three times in the last 12 years. I’ve had many kids that have come back and turned around and been successful. I’ve got kids that are special needs that were able to make their grades and compete. There’s nothing like having a kid come up to you, “Hey Coach how are ya?” …To be called Coach.”
Bevill said he hasn’t had much contact with the team.
In the video above Bevill is excluded by Steve Schafer, the Athletic director at Illini Bluff High School. He remains pretty quiet in the video when Bevill says, “You know this is wrong.” Schafer admits that Bevill has a legal right to not be vaccinated and that he is complying with the district. Schafer abruptly stopped Bevill at the door and said he was not going to let Bevill in.
“I’m excluded from the school and I’m not there on a daily basis,” said Bevill. “The kids have been highly respectful over the years. It’s been a great program. I have zero problems with the kids. They are there because they want to be. They are there because they want to learn. It’s not like you are just going fishing, you’re putting a worm on a hook and a bobber were teaching kids about the conditions of bass fishing. It’s barometric pressure. Is the sun out? Are the clouds covering? What’s the water temperature? You are making a predator fish bite something that isn’t real, that’s the sport of it. I have kids that aren’t on the wrestling team, they aren’t on the basketball team, they don’t do other things…but they will do outdoor things. None of my kids have ever been excluded. I take every kid from the high school.”
The high school has about 200 students. Bevill said at one point in time the highest numbers on the team…was when he had 26 kids in 2013.
Just $1,200 is allotted to operate the fishing team, according to Bevill. The district superintendent Roger Alvey makes $161,524 a year.
“To take these kids fishing I can’t put them all in one boat. I put approximately two in a boat. That year I had to come up with 11 volunteers to volunteer their boat to take these kids fishing. If it weren’t for my volunteers the program wouldn’t be as successful as it is,” said Bevill.
Bevill is currently working with the Law Office of Bethany Hager. Governor JB Pritzker’s mandates for children in public schools were struck down in the Sangamon County Court, Appellate Court and Supreme Court.
The biggest thing about the lawsuit is that I’ve been affected and my family has been affected, my wife and my daughter,” said Bevill through tears.
Bevill’s wife has been an office manager at the middle school for 16 years and she too does not want to show proof of vaccination status. His daughter also works for the district helping children with special needs.
They won’t terminate any of us. Now that the mandates are gone it would probably make them look accountable for that.
Bethany Hager has another scheduled hearing.
“Since the beginning of the year I was informed that I didn’t have to test or vaccinate until the time of the season started,” said Bevill. “I start the season in January. I start with videos for the kids. We spend some classroom time about 45 minutes then we spend the other 45 minutes pitching and flipping and using our equipment, tying knots and things like that. We spend a lot of time in the gymnasium. While the weather is bad we spend it indoors trying to hone our skills a little bit, because in bass fishing placement of the lures is important.”
Bevill said Illini Bluffs High school has violated my constitutional rights, his wife’s and his daughter’s.
