The Day's editorial supporting the removal of Jack Cochran as football coach at New London High School was both uninformed and unfair. ("Look in the mirror," April 16.) It rests on a claim that Mr. Cochran knowingly violated the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) rules governing off-season workouts or practices while coaching the high school's baseball team. The facts relating to the off-season workouts prove that the claim is false.

During the off-season, a group of parents ran baseball workouts at the New London High School gym on Sundays. At these sessions, the participants used baseball equipment and practiced baseball skills. Occasionally, Mr. Cochran unlocked the gym for the participants. One parent, Matt Greene, provided a written statement to the school administration indicating that these sessions were open to anyone in New London, not just current or prospective team members.

He also stated that after Mr. Cochran was appointed baseball coach, he did not participate at any of the player work stations and did not provide any instruction or coaching.

The CIAC rules do not prohibit off-season practice sessions run by parent groups, in which the coach does not participate.

On Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Mr. Cochran ran off-season conditioning and stretching exercises for some team members in the gym. The CIAC rules permit a coach to run such off-season drills.

Since the administration elected to report to the CIAC a violation of its rules, despite knowing these facts, it is not surprising that the CIAC concluded at its initial hearing that the rules were violated. Mr. Cochran was not at the hearing, and had no chance to defend himself.

Superintendent didn't cooperate

When he learned of the CIAC ruling, he asked the superintendent to join him in appealing it to the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS), which oversees the CIAC, but the superintendent refused. Mr. Cochran filed an appeal himself. He also asked the superintendent to delay any action concerning his status as football coach until the CAS acted on his appeal. The superintendent chose not to wait.

On April 13, the CAS board sent notice to Mr. Cochran and the superintendent that it had voted on April 9 to send the matter back to the CIAC for further proceedings. So, the fact is, no final decision has been made on whether the off-season baseball rules were violated. Nevertheless, the superintendent chose that same day to remove Jack Cochran as football coach.

For some reason, the editorial ignored these facts.

Broken promise

There is a more fundamental reason, however, why the superintendent's decision and the editorial are unjustified and unfair. When the superintendent decided to report a violation of the CIAC rules, he recommended that Mr. Cochran resign as baseball coach to increase the chances of avoiding penalties on the baseball program. He promised Mr. Cochran that if he resigned as baseball coach, these events would have no impact on his status as football coach. Even though Mr. Cochran believed he had not done anything wrong, he relied on the superintendent's promise and resigned as baseball coach. Now, the superintendent has walked away from his promise.

EDITOR'S NOTE: THE DAY CONSIDERED ALL THE RELATIVE FACTS BEFORE PUBLISHING THE APRIL 16 EDITORIAL. SUPERINTENDENT CHRISTOPHER CLOUET SAID HE NEVER MADE ANY ASSURANCE TO JACK COCHRAN THAT THE COACH WOULD KEEP HIS JOB AS FOOTBALL COACH IF HE RESIGNED AS BASEBALL COACH.

ANTHONY R. BASILICA IS AN ATTORNEY AND CHAIRMAN OF THE NEW LONDON DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE. HIS SON PLAYED FOOTBALL FOR COACH COCHRAN.