LIVONIA, Mich. — David Chiola, a longtime wrestling coach at Livonia Franklin High School, is speaking out exclusively to Dave Bondy after what he describes as a sudden and unexpected dismissal. Chiola, who coached for over 24 years and retired from teaching last year, was informed he was being terminated the day before Halloween.
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The Livonia Schools released the following statement:
t has come to our attention that many false rumors are circulating on social media and within our community regarding the circumstances surrounding the recent termination of the Franklin High School Wrestling Coach.
Simply stated, social media commentary has painted an inaccurate and misinformed depiction of the situation. Accusations suggesting that the termination decision was premised, in any way, on the handling of supports for a transgender student-athlete have been spread without any basis in fact. Such false allegations are reckless and are made without any apparent concern for the damage that may be caused to the students and/or staff of Livonia Public Schools. While we do not share specifics of personnel decisions publicly, we can unequivocally assert that the employment action taken in this case was not, in any way, based upon any disagreement between LPS and the Wrestling Coach regarding the use of facilities by any student-athlete."
-- Livonia Public Schools
Chiola, who continued to coach while working as a substitute teacher, said he received a phone call from the school’s athletic director on a Friday while subbing at Livonia Stevenson High School. The conversation, conducted during the last few minutes of class, was about a transgender student joining the team. Chiola stated that he had no issues with the student, who had previously been on the middle school team. He mentioned that the call might have been overheard by students, which he believes led to misunderstandings and his subsequent firing.
“I was on my phone, maybe talking too loud,” Chiola said. “Some students overheard parts of the conversation and reported it out of context to the administration. The assistant principal got involved, and it escalated from there.”
By the following Wednesday, Chiola was called into the athletic director’s office and told he was being let go. He expressed confusion over the decision, saying he was not provided with a clear reason. “They used words like ‘liability’ and mentioned an inability to follow procedure, but I never signed anything or got an explanation,” Chiola said.
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This firing follows other incidents in Chiola’s coaching career that he believes show a pattern of decisions made without due process. He recounted a suspension six years ago after a wrestler received a concussion during a scrimmage and was sent to a doctor but later sustained another injury after being cleared. Another instance involved a misunderstanding over a texted lineup that was reported as unethical behavior.
Chiola defended his coaching style as “blunt and straightforward,” noting that he holds all athletes to the same standards regardless of gender or background. “If a kid knows you care about them, you can be honest with them, and they will respond,” he said. He denied any allegations of inappropriate or discriminatory behavior and stated, “I treat every athlete the same, whether they’re male, female, or transgender.”
Despite his dismissal, Chiola expressed support for the new coaching staff, which consists of members he originally assembled. He plans to attend the upcoming school board meeting to voice his concerns about how the situation was handled.
“I won’t get my job back, but I don’t want my name dragged through the mud,” Chiola said. “I hope the board and the community understand that my intent was always in the best interest of the students.”
The Livonia Public Schools district has not commented on the specific details of the case, citing policy on personnel matters.
TAYLOR, Mich. - Taylor School District’s superintendent Mike Wegher announced a ban on classroom displays considered politically controversial after a photo surfaced of a local classroom decorated with a Black Lives Matter flag, a “Science is Real” banner, and a Taylor Swift poster.
The image sparked backlash in the community, with some parents arguing the displays promoted political messages. Superintendent Mark Maloney said the new policy will prohibit all political symbols, including Black Lives Matter, “Blue Lives Matter,” and “Don’t Tread on Me” flags.
“This policy applies across the board,” Maloney said. “Whether it’s BLM, Blue Lives Matter, or Don’t Tread on Me, we’re not allowing any of it. Our classrooms should remain focused on education, not political debate.” He noted that items tied directly to classroom material would still be permitted but acknowledged it could take time for staff to adjust.
The move places Taylor among a growing number of ...
Exclusive interview with Ted Parsons who found missing Millington, Michigan girl Victoria Thompson. #breakingnews
There will be no live show today. Not feeling well. This is our new interview for all of you----
Keeping It Real with Dave Bondy is adding a new voice of authority to the team. John Hartman, a retired police chief with decades of experience in law enforcement, has joined as our legal and law enforcement expert.
Hartman’s career began in Pennsylvania, where he led one of the state’s regional police departments serving as many as ten communities across three counties. Under his leadership, the department handled complex cases and grew into a model for multi-municipality policing. He retired in 2018 but has remained active in training, investigations, and private consulting.
Learn more about his company here: https://johndalehartmaninvestigations.com/
Beyond his time as chief, Hartman has trained thousands of officers, school staff, and even military personnel in rapid deployment and active threat response. He helped pioneer programs focused on school shootings, church security, and workplace ...
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Jocelyn Benson’s proposed election rule changes make it easier to cheat, harder to challenge illegal votes
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make it easier to cheat and more difficult to challenge illegal votes and registrations through a dozen proposed rule changes that will be presented at a public hearing on Friday.
The administrative hearing, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at the Binsfeld Office Building in Lansing, marks a departure from Benson’s tactic of unilaterally imposing changes repeatedly rules unlawful by courts for circumventing the state’s Administrative Procedures Act.
State law requires Benson to provide public notice of rule changes and opportunities for Michiganders to weigh in before adoption.
The proposed changes for Friday involve voter registration cancellations, challenges, corrections, and overseas voting privileges, which Patrice Johnson, founder of the Michigan Fair Elections Institute, argues “will be devastating to citizen and clerk input to clean the voter rolls.” Click here to read more.
Michigan Rep. Blows the Lid Off American Medical Association’s Gender “Care” Narrative
LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Representative Brad Paquette (R-Niles), a former teacher, has been on a mission to protect children from gender care medical experimentation and has introduced bills to criminalize gender-affirming care for minors. According to a May press release, Paquette’s three-bill package would “prohibit health care providers from conducting hormone treatments, surgeries for sterilization, and surgeries that alter genital appearance on minors, with an exception for minors with medically verifiable disorders of sex development or those facing imminent danger from physical condition.”
Paquette said, “It is time for the experimentation on children in the name of care to come to an end. Children are not born in the wrong body. No one has the right to maim a healthy child’s body to try to achieve the unachievable.” Click here to read more.
A Comedian Was Jailed In The UK For Jokes. Is Britain Now North Korea?
A member of Parliament warned U.S. legislators Wednesday that Americans could face arrest in the United Kingdom for what they post on social media, under a new British law that has received wide attention this week.
Comments in Washington by Nigel Farage, leader of the conservative Reform UK party, come amid fresh scrutiny of Britain’s Online Safety Act, which, among other things, makes it illegal to incite violence through internet posts.
Even some supporters of the measure seem to be questioning the enforcement side after Irish comedian Graham Linehan was arrested Monday at Heathrow Airport for social media posts about transgender people. Click here to read more.
Senator Says It’s ‘Extremely Troubling’ to Believe Rights Come From the Creator
The U.S. Senate has wasted no time getting back to serving the American people after its six-week summer recess. With issues like the Sept. 30 deadline to have either a budget or a continuing resolution or risk a partial government shutdown on the agenda, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia reminded us of the twisted view the Left has of our civil rights and how much control it wants government to have over them.
During a nominations hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, the former Democrat vice presidential candidate said, “The notion that rights don’t come from laws and don’t come from the government, but come from the Creator … that’s what the Iranian government believes. … So, the statement that our rights do not come from our laws or our governments is extremely troubling.” Click here to read more.
A Health Care Tax Hike Poses the Greatest Midterm Threat to the GOP
As a pollster, I know numbers. And right now, our poll numbers are issuing a stark warning about the future of our party’s majorities in Washington. If Congress fails to act on a critical issue this year – to preserve key health care tax credits for millions of working, middle-class Americans in the individual health insurance marketplace – these Americans will get hit with an unexpected tax increase. After four years of Biden-Harris inflation, it’s a tax they can’t afford.
Our recent national survey reveals a clear mandate that every Republican lawmaker should be working to preserve these health care tax credits that help make health insurance more affordable for working Americans, or risk significant political consequences. Click here to read more.
Michigan taxpayers fund 31,388 repairs on employee vehicles in 2024
When a Michigan government employee hits a pothole and blows a tire, the taxpayer might foot the bill.
The state of Michigan owns or leases more than $14,000 vehicles that state employees use to drive millions of miles.
In fiscal year 2024, the state’s leased fleet used 6.9 million gallons of fuel and traveled more than 116 million miles.
State employees service their vehicles at the taxpayer-funded Vehicle and Travel Services Garage. The garage recorded more than 31,300 repairs in fiscal year 2024, according to the state’s 2025 fleet plan..
Taxpayers paid for vehicle wear-and-tear caused by Michigan’s rough roads. The garage recorded nearly 4,000 tire jobs, over 1,700 brake repairs, 1,600 body and glass repairs, 5,000 miscellaneous repairs and 275 towing services. Click here to read more.
Detroit Uses Pandemic Relief Money To Provide Medical Aid To Homeless
DETROIT, Mich. – The city of Detroit has given $562,868 to an organization that will conduct medical outreach for the homeless in what is known as “street medicine.”
The Detroit city council approved extending the contract through the end of 2025 at its Sept. 2 meeting. Click here to read more.
Parents say middle schooler was attacked by another student in cafeteria, had to have parts of skull removed
KILGORE, Texas – A middle school student in Texas is recovering from serious injuries after his family says he was attacked by another student at school and had his head slammed into a metal pole.
Lukas Hardeman, 14, was injured by another student in the cafeteria on Aug. 21 after Lukas’ parents said their son made a joke.
Michael Hardeman, Lukas’ father, said the other student slammed his son’s head against a metal pole attached to a stool.
Lukas suffered from brain injuries that required two parts of his skull to be removed, and according to his dad, he has over 60 staples holding his head together now. Click here to read more.
ChatGPT's safety fixes come amid scrutiny over teen use of AI chatbot companions
OpenAI announced steps it's taking over the coming months to address safety concerns for people, especially teenagers, who use the company's chatbots while experiencing mental and emotional distress.
The actions come on the heels of a lawsuit filed against the ChatGPT maker on behalf of a family who lost their 16-year-old son to suicide after the company’s chatbot allegedly encouraged his suicidal ideation.
OpenAI’s post on Tuesday announcing the new safety actions didn’t mention the teen, Adam Raine.
OpenAI said it’s enlisting the help of youth development and mental health experts in designing future safeguards for its chatbots.
The company said it will begin routing “sensitive conversations” to more advanced “reasoning models” that are capable of following safety guidelines more consistently.
And it’s giving parents the ability to link accounts with their teens, disable features and get notifications when ChatGPT detects acute distress in the interaction with the young user. Click here to read more.
First In The Nation: Florida To End All Vaccine Mandates
Florida’s surgeon general, alongside GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced on Wednesday that the Sunshine State will end all vaccination mandates, including requirements for schools.
“The Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the government, is working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida law — all of them,” Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo told a room of supporters. “Every last one of them.”
Ladapo went on to say that the government has no right to tell parents what to put in their children’s bodies, or their own bodies, sparking loud applause.
“Every last [mandate] is wrong and drips with disdain — and slavery,” he argued. “Who am I, or anyone else … to tell you what you should put in your body? Who am I to tell you what your child should put in [their] body?” Click here to read more.
