Kaiser junior varsity girls basketball head coach Jaime Nerona has been dismissed for undisclosed reasons, according to Department of Education spokesperson Lindsay Chambers.
Under the DOE’s privacy policy, school officials, including athletic directors and principals, are not allowed to discuss personnel details.
The dismissal is the latest in a string of controversy at Kaiser. Simon Bitanga, the varsity girls basketball head coach, was put on leave before being reinstated late in the recently completed season in which the Cougars made it to the state Division I semifinals. Bitanga was the focus of two investigations by the DOE stemming from parent complaints. According to Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Hawaii Prep World sources, Bitanga was reinstated after the first investigation was completed. At that time, no disciplinary measures — in addition to the leave — were taken.
The second investigation was recently completed, according to Chambers, who added somewhat contradictorily that the DOE is still in the process of “wrapping it up.”
Typically, when DOE investigations of this sort are complete, the paperwork is forwarded to the school’s principal, which in this case is Kaiser’s Justin Mew.
Mew has declined comment and has referred all queries to Chambers.
I think it’s time for Kaiser to move on. The coach is too toxic right now.
Wow! And doesn’t this coach still work with children? Something is not right here…. Kaiser needs to put a stop to this
In my opinion, the whole administration should be looked at. The principal, vice principal, and athletic director were all made aware of the wrong-doing of the whole girls’ basketball coaching staff long before the season started. They failed to take any disciplinary action, which resulted in the DOE and OIA getting involved. Still they allowed this corrupt staff to coach these girls. Simon was put on probation, but his coaching staff remained. Assistant Coach Noah Keolanui, who is like a hanai son to Simon, became the girls’ head coach. He, along with the other assistant coach Shane, clearly retaliated against the 3 girls that were thought to be behind the investigation. At practices, they singled out these girls making them run extra, and had some of the other players hurt them intentionally. One of the girls was slapped so hard by the assistan coach that she had welts on both arms. As if this wasn’t enough to get even with them, Coach Noah went as far as to put out a false TRO on 3 sets of parents. This clearly caused emotional stress on the girls and their families. The girls couldn’t even participate in the rest of the season, nor did they have their senior night. Nothing has been done to correct any of these actions. How ironic is it, as well, that Simon was reinstated immediately after the TRO was submitted? He was cleared only by the principal, while there was still an investigation taking place. They failed to mention that they did find that there were questionable things being done by Simon, but the principal thought that his extremely brief suspension was enough punishment. Sounds a little fishy, don’t you think?
Justin Mew is declining comments because he’s probably out watching Star Wars….
Star Wars is great! I heard their were allegations of “using foul language.” Coaches we are in a different age now. You have to use PC words like wonderful, great, happy, love, etc.
To have all this nonsense around a program is something definitely not needed. If I was admin I would choose not to offer a new 1 year contract and move on. You definitely do not need this kind of drama and baggage.
“One of the girls was slapped so hard by the assistant coach that she had welts on both arms.”
WOW! Why did the coach slap the player for? Why wasn’t the police called if this happened? You cannot hit a minor as an adult. If this is true, it sounds like assault.
ILH Observer, I’m not sure why the parents didn’t call the police. These girls had been through so much, they probably felt it wouldn’t make a difference. I know they went to the administration about it and they did nothing. It wasn’t till the police were called for another incident that this coach was asked to leave.
Why would Mr. Mew risk so much for this coach? It’s so hard to understand. That’s why our DOE is so messed up. These are the people who are supposed to be looking out for our children??!!!!
No one is being held accountable for anything…typical.
I also wonder why no media, Newspaper, TV or Radio covered this story which to me seems way more compelling than the Kahuku boys situation.
This is crazy!
I like Coach Simon, he’s well respected around the school. If it wasn’t for him and his great staff they wouldn’t have made states. Who are all the crybabies spreading these rumors, grow up already! I sense a defamation of character lawsuit in the making. Good luck Coach Simon and staff!
No defamation of character of libel suit here. From what I have been told there is too much evidence, witnesses, and videos (foul language) of the allegations.
Haha Action! Rumors are usually lies, seems like these are facts not rumors! If the staff was so great, they wouldn’t have cry babies to worry about, would they. If they did their job correctly, they would’ve won states with the girls that should’ve been there instead of JV girls.
If there was too much evidence, witnesses and videos what happened w/ the investigation? A good man like Coach Bitanga is trying to bring some mental toughness to Cougar country with whatever players he can come up with. Take it easy on Simon he’s a good guy with a strong character, something that’s hard to find nowadays. Coaches don’t babysit, good coaches produce strong Warriors who go in to games w/ a tough mentality.
If there was no evidence he wouldn’t have gotten suspended pending an investigation and miss more than 3/4 of the season. Leadership is weak up there.
Gimme your definition of good leadership. What is it? Generic leaders that keep throwing up red flags when the girl chips her nail or gets her feelings hurt? C’mon! Kaiser needs leaders w/ big hearts and tough mentalities so the Cougars can win games that count, not stalling for crybabies.
Obviously no wrong doing was found if he was brought back to coach. He lead his team to states with his unfortunate situation. He’s an amazing leader, possibly just as good as Jim Jones was in 1978. Research it. Oh yeah!
No one can assume there was no wrongdoing. Employees are rarely removed from active duty just on a complaint with zero evidence.
I heard if you play for his Eastsidaz club team and then your family chooses to leave and play for another club, he bans that player from his club league. This is quite frequent and he is even brave enough to send these emails to coaches.
That is terrible.
ILH observer, it’s easy to jump on the bandwagon playing the “mainstream” blame game like every other Tom, Dick and Ann out there. We see to much of this style nowadays.”Kool A” is right, the investigation tells the truth and he’s back where he belongs coaching the lady Cougars.
The JV coach got dismissed. He is responsible for bringing that person in. Like lawyers say, “innocent people don’t get accused for no reason.” He might be back, but having him gone for so long paints a pretty clear picture.
R u kidding? All it takes is a couple uneasy grumbling parents to chit-chat, sparking aspects of disfunctional accusations resulting in an honest blue collar coach and staff being subjected to dishonest accusations.
What’dya mean…. What corrupt lawyer said “dishonest people don’t get accused for no reason”? 80% of lawyers are the most money greedy corrupt people of society. Who says “dishonest people don’t get accused for no reason”. That is the single dumbest line I’ve ever heard in my life.
Michael Jackson you are pretty ignorant and naive to think nothing happened. As for 80% of lawyers are money greedy? You got any data to prove that number or did you just pull it outta ya ass like you usually do when you are wrong and begging for attention?
Some people have skills to give a roughly accurate guess..Michael Jackson? You a Michael Jackson fan? Wow, I knew you had to be somebody . “Action Jacksons” from the 1988 film w/ Carl weathers, the same guy who played Apollo Creed in Rocky.
Every average idiot in America knows most attorneys are crooked money greedy worms.
As per this girls basketball Cougars story on coaches there, coach Simon will fill JV coach vacancy w/ a qualified competent leader. Coach Simons done nothing but positive things for girls Cougar basketball, I personally know the legend myself. He used to assistant coach slotbacks and wide receivers for Scott Chan in the late 80s and early 90s. Much respect for you coach Bitanga and good luck 2u brother.
“Basketball watcher” R u there fruitcake? What’dya have to say for yourself now?
Some people like Miss Jackson is you’re nasty has to resort to anger, threats, and name calling when she knows she’s beat.
Same story for Miss Jackson, sound like and idiot and then act thought behind a computer like the computer geek she is (yawn…).
Can you please get a new m.o.?
What was that? In English please……..
…… Eva, was that your problem growing up? Name calling? Oh, you had a problem w/ kids calling you names growing up. (that’s all i understood)…. Sorry to hear that Eva, good luck to you.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_the_Kool-Aid
Hey Action, I think this is what “Kool A” was talking about. Since we’re on the topic of leadership, here are a few to add to the list: Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Admiral Yamamoto…. Just to name a few that fall in the same bracket as Jim Jones. All very “Amazing” leaders. LOL!
Stephanie Wong…. I think i seen your name up on the wall of fame @Kaiser gym. Anyways, if you did go Kaisah for sure you’d have Simons back because everybody knows his style, humor, and great coaching abilities.
Coach Simon and his assistants should be more concerned about praising their players and helping them grow into strong honest leaders. Instead they break them down by calling them racist names and embarrass them in front of their teammates. In the real world, working citizens would be FIRED if they did these things.
Yes, I am a Kaiser alumni. For starters, I would NEVER put Simon & great coaching abilities in the same sentence. A coach is a person who should be a positive role model to all children in his or her community. It shouldn’t matter if it’s basketball season or not, because coaches carry the duty of inspiring these young athletes.
How are these players supposed to feel when they have a coach making comments knocking down their self esteem when he should be building it? These are young ladies we’re talking about. & while he’s doing that on the court, you then have him sending texts banning girls from playing in certain leagues because they chose to go to private schools, or made an even better decision of playing under a different coach.
Can someone please tell me what kind of great coach Simon is? Am I missing something here?
How many state titles does the coach have Miss Jackson? I guess our standards for great vastly differ. But then again being a cyber-warrior wishing she could play does explain it.
Everyone Miss Actions Jackson thinks this kind of coaching is great. She knows first hand watching from the stands after she got cut from the hopscotch team!
My coaching friends tell me if a kids leaves his eastsidaz club them he sends emails out to other coaches telling them that kid is not allowed to participate in his eastsidaz league if they play for another coach’s club. This is horrible! This is not slavery and no one owns the rights to any kid nor should be able to tell them who they can play for or not play for.
I would hire “winners” before trying to assume who’s not encouraging self-esteem. We need wins @Kaiser period so our girls can get picked up athletically by colleges. Simons a winner, a little tough and edgy, but a winner. He would never endanger safety of the girls.
Used to play pick up ball @ Job corps, Simon would routinely dominate everyone, and there’s good competition there. I’m 6’1″ Kaiser grad ’94 and can dunk, Simon routinely schools me @1on1. (well, not sure about now), this was in ’02. I live Big Island now.
But no, I see what you’re saying maybe Simon has areas to work on, but so does everybody.
Mahalo
…… Oh, and if Mr. Almadova, Mr. Seaman, and Ms. Kapana-Baird see Simon as a good coach, I see it that way also.
All of you guys are dumb coach Simon is a great coach. Just because a few parents and former players want attention things like this Happen, all he does is help people he’s never the guy on the other side trying to break you down, he’s therefore you not matter what. As for coach Jaime another example of a great human being she has a lot of knowledge and knows a lot about the game of basketball she knows what should happen and what shouldn’t happen another example of someone who is always there for her players and always there to provide the confidence that they need to be successful in the game of basketball. You Guys saying she shouldn’t be working with kids? Why should she? She did nothing for you people to be saying she shouldn’t be working with kids she went to collage for that and i don’t think people should be questioning that part of her life that’s none of anyone’s business but hers leave her work out of it this is about the basketball team not her job.. Grow up. This is literally being taken to far all of this should have never even happend the whole coach Simon thing shouldn’t have even happend hose girls should have never even treys out for the team if they knew he was going to be coaching it just doesn’t make any sense in the head that they would tell people that a coach “hit” them and left marks on them. If a coach did hit them don’t you think other people would see and other people would tell? That’s is just another example of another lie that was told from those girls. Coach Simon coach Noah or coach Jaime would never hit a player ever. Be realistic do you really think they would hit a player. All these allegations are rumors that are not true I know all of them very well and know that none of this is true they are coaches that are there for you when you need something and they will always have your back. We need more people like them in our community
I’m 7’2, 275lbs, 2.5% body fat, and I can fly. I live Big Island too.
HK96825, she went to “collage”?
You mean COLLEGE?
Here’s another person who drank the Simon Bitanga Kool Aid. Oh yeah!
A collage is what my kids make in their arts & crafts class. Clearly you went to collage with her.
Thank you, Simon Bitanga for buying my KoolAid products. Business is BOOMING! My stocks went up. OH YEAH!
To HK96825, if he’s such a great coach, why does ban kids from playing in his Eastsidaz league if they choose not to continue or they want to try and play for another club?
Is that your definition of a great coach? If a kid leaves then you blackball them from your league?
That’s not the character of a caring coach. That’s the sign of a selfish individual.
I agree w/ HK96825… There’s too many people that say good things about Coach Simon, I’m a believer in him.
“Sure”, time to turn internet off and go to your room you’ve been a naughty boy.
“Eva” we understand the name calling from your elementary days has affected you. We can’t help you on this blog, try Kahi Mohala little buddy.
Nick Abramo wrote all this you see up here…..^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Gee thanks Nick, using my name to make false comments. What other little tricky thing are ya doing in at work. Hehe
Action Jackson would not write that. Nick please tell us the truth.
Nick, this blog is for people posting their own comments. “For I am the fruitcake” HAHAHAHA you wrote that you sly little mongoose. What a joker, a star advertiser staff member acting like that. Wow ya learn something new everyday.
There you have it people! The narrow minded Simon Bitanga followers. Little does Action Jackson know that where is says “name” you can be whoever you want. And if a talking pitcher of juice is pointing that out to you that’s beyond embarrassing.
Call it whatever ya wanna call it. Using someone elses name is breaking da rules. True creeps on this blog.
Nick Abramo wrote this story, but he has not commented at all. I really don’t know what you are talking about Jeannette, but Abramo has not used anyone’s names to make false comments.
There are a lot of unethical things in these comments, but Star-Advertiser staffers are not a part of them. We use our names and our names only.
We love you Kool A on point !