Coach Baker was not only a teacher to his students, but also a mentor. He has positively influenced every student he has come across in the past 27 years of teaching, over 4 of them for the Knob Noster School District. The students need Mr. Baker to come back to teach and coach, without him many students’ athletes will fail to recognize and achieve their full potential.

He is overjoyed to help each student on their progress with their goals and even greater joy seeing them reach that goal. With the values instilled by his work family, he is not only a dedicated teacher and coach, he is also a devoted father of two as well as a step father to two, his family holds a legacy at KHNS as well as the community. His oldest son followed in his footsteps and is also a teacher and coach in the area.

Coach Baker has been a flexible team player and helped in any area that the district has needed. His Knob Noster Coaching resume includes assistant Football, assistant girls’ soccer, Knob Noster youth sports baseball umpire, head boys’ basketball, and most recently soccer, where he led his team to second place in districts for the first time in history for the Panthers. He has gone where he was asked to go and did so with enthusiasm and skills. His leadership has afforded him over 418 career wins. High school boys’ basketball has a legacy of being a true contender under his direction.

Coach Baker has built a successful basketball program for the school. Even taking the team to the Regional tournament last season. Not only has he strengthened each player’s individual skills and training on the court, he has also helped set the standard for each player to become a successful individual off the court. The love and passion he has for his players and the game of basketball is indescribable.

We hope that in writing this petition it will persuade the school board to keep Coach Baker as head boys basketball coach at KNHS and teacher at KNMS. By signing you are simply stating that you stand by Coach Baker, you believe in his intentions, and you appreciate and support him and all he has done for the students and players at KNHS.

*Last week after meeting with a member of the school administration, Coach Baker met with his team and to discuss a school conflict. The team was already aware as was most of the community that the Football coach would not be returning. Mike told the team that despite their feelings they were to respect this faculty member because he is still their teacher. As Coach Baker was instructed, he cautioned his players to not engage in any activities or arguments that would affect their playing time and in turn the team as a whole.

Because of this conversation the board removed Coach Baker from his position as teacher and coach. While the players were supposedly interviewed, the faculty member conducting the interviews didn’t listen to the players and tried to alter their version of what was said for his personal gain. This staff member is now acting head coach.

Coach Baker is not from Knob, he grew up near the lake. The administration has reopened the investigation but told Mike he has no community support. What I think the administration has forgotten is we are a community of people who grew up all over the country and have been lucky enough to be brought together. Some are here because Uncle Sam told them to come, some chose to stay, and some were born and raised here, non-more necessary than another! If we plan to grow and become better, we cannot shut those out who were not fortunate enough to have parents and Grandparents graduate from Knob Noster. Do we really want to embrace ONLY those from here? Would we sacrifice a teacher and mentor who devotes his time and efforts to our community for one who simply has a preferred pedigree? I would hope not, I would hope that the tax dollars of such a rich community would go towards the best staff not the staff who married into a family name!

-Always a Panther