Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — The head coach of one of the most celebrated high school football teams in the Rochester area is now out of a job.

Maurice Jackson said he agreed to be fired by Aquinas Institute.

Jackson was Aquinas’ head coach for two seasons and served as wide receivers coach for a year prior to taking that role. After winning a Section V title this past season, Jackson is now out of the program.

BACKGROUND: Jackson named head coach of Aquinas football

“They gave me the options of resigning, agreeing to part ways mutually, or being fired, and I told him that I’d rather be fired,” Jackson explained.

The decision took effect Monday after Jackson was called in after raising concerns with HR.

“I had had this incident with the other coach,” Jackson explained. “I went to HR on Thursday and told my story and had a meeting with administration on Friday, and Sunday I got a call or a text asking me to come in.”

The coach said the school gave him a different reason for his termination.

“The reason that I got was because I wasn’t around the team as much as I guess they thought I should be, and players and parents, they didn’t know where, what the direction of the program was going,” Jackson said.

Aquinas released a statement to 13WHAM.

While we understand that there may be public interest in this matter, we are unable to discuss specific details due to confidentiality policies that protect all employees. We appreciate your understanding and respect.

What we can share is that this decision was made after careful consideration and in alignment with the best interests of our institution, its mission, and our students. Personnel decisions of this nature are never taken lightly, and we remain committed to upholding our values and ensuring a positive and productive environment for our community.

Our focus remains on providing our students with a quality Catholic education grounded in the Basilian tradition and a welcoming community for all that exemplifies the important work that Aquinas Institute has done for nearly 125 years.

Our Athletic Director will be searching for a new football coach effective immediately.

Jackson said he couldn’t speak to his team before leaving but wanted them to know something important.

“The reason I actually elected to be fired is so that they would know that I didn’t walk out,” he said. “I didn’t want them to think that I quit, because that wasn’t the case.”

Jackson believes he leaves a legacy of winning and not having any scandals as the first Black head coach at the school.

He didn’t go into details, but believes a racial incident between parents likely led to him being terminated.

Jackson said he wanted the school administration to address the situation, but that never happened.

“I think if I would have stepped in early in that situation, we could have done an even better job turning the program around, and you never know, maybe I would have been there for another couple years,” he said.

The coach said he’s not sure what’s next, but high schools and colleges have reached out to him about coaching positions.

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