Springfield Public Schools announced it has replaced Glendale High School football coach Mike Mauk just before the start of the Falcons’ 2023 season.
It is not clear whether Mike Mauk’s removal from the head coaching job was by way of a termination, resignation or some other method. Joel Heman will replace Mauk as the interim football coach at Glendale while the school district conducts a search for a permanent replacement.
“Coach Heman is a respected mentor who invests in the lives of student athletes,” said Josh Scott, director of athletics and activities for SPS in a press release. “Joel has already been leading practice for the regular season and we appreciate his willingness to serve as head coach in an interim capacity. We also thank Coach Mike Mauk for his service.”
Scott’s quote in the Aug. 14 press release is the only mention of Mauk in the announcement. Mauk has an active lawsuit against his employer. The lawsuit alleging employment discrimination by Springfield Public Schools was filed in 2021. The lawsuit alleges Mauk was unfairly disciplined and discriminated against based on his age after he was ejected from a football game in 2019.
According to past reporting by the State Line Sports Network, Mauk was given two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for complaining to officials about what he felt was a missed helmet-to-helmet hit call. Mauk allegedly went as far as to try to show an official video of a previous play from an electronic tablet. He was tossed from the November playoff game at Carthage and the Falcons lost 64-34.
Following the ejection, Springfield Public Schools officials reportedly disciplined Mauk by placing him on an employee action plan and asking him to sign an agreement that further disciplinary action could result in his firing. Mauk’s lawsuit claims he was discriminated against based on his age, 62 at the time, and that he suffered undue stress and anguish as the result of the threat of termination.
The lawsuit is still active in Greene County, and has been assigned to Circuit Judge Michael Cordonnier. Motions and requests have been filed throughout the summer of 2023.
On the morning of Aug. 15, Mike Mauk’s name still appeared in the staff directory at Glendale High School, where he has taught business classes for nine years. His son, Ben Mauk, is a history teacher and an assistant football coach at Glendale.
“Both individuals remain employed by Springfield Public Schools as teachers at Glendale High School,” Springfield Public Schools spokesperson Stephen Hall told the Springfield Daily Citizen.
Since the start of the 2014 season, the Glendale Falcons won 57 games and lost 51 with Mike Mauk as the head coach and Ben Mauk coordinating the team’s offense.
Heman was Glendale’s head football coach from 2008 to 2011, and his teams were a combined 17-25. Heman left coaching to become a sales manager at American Fidelity.
