Huntley District 158 students asking to rehire former security guard, football coach

Several petitions and community efforts are calling for the reinstatement of Huntley High School security guard and football coach John Woo.

An online petition created by Huntley High School students claimed Woo was fired for preventing a fight between two students and stopping two students from getting hurt.

"Students are upset that Coach Woo is no longer walking the school halls and bonding with students," the petition read. "He was the reason many of us felt comfortable in school and we would seek him for comfort and problems of our own. So we need to get Woo his job back because this should be no reason for a man to lose his job."

The petition, which was seeking 2,500 signatures, had collected nearly 1,800 as of 4 p.m. Thursday.

A separate online petition seeking 5,000 signatures said Woo was wrongfully accused of assault over the alleged incident.

"(Woo) did everything he could to put a smile on everyones face and put everyone before himself," the petition read. "He loved everyone there and would never even think of harming a student. He deserves to be able to come back and continue to do what he loves."

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the second petition collected more than 4,600 signatures.

Tammy Fabis, president of the Huntley Education Support Professionals Association, who is representing Woo in the matter, said her organization is working diligently to come to an amicable resolution to the situation between Woo and Huntley District 158.

"In the interim, HESPA and the Huntley community will continue to support Mr. Woo until a resolution is reached," Fabis said.

Fabis declined further comment at this time.

District 158 spokesman Dan Armstrong said the district is aware of the petitions and other community efforts to reinstate Woo.

"A number of people have reached out to the district," Armstrong said. "As always, we welcome productive feedback from our community, even and especially criticism, as we strive to meet the needs of all students."

Armstrong declined to comment further on the matter.

Woo could not be reached for comment Thursday.