Ex-wrestling coach sues APS for back pay

LEARNED A HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING COACH — CLEARED OF RAPE ALLEGATIONS — IS SUING ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE FORMER CIBOLA HIGH COACH SAYS HE S OWED BACK-PAY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS THAT S NOT THE CASE ERIC KAHNERT JOINS US NOW WITH TONIGHT S TOP STORY ERIC NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO CIBOLA WRESTLING COACH MIKE BARRERAS WAS ACCUSED OF RAPING A TEENAGE GIRL AFTER HE WAS CLEARED LAST MAY HE WAS EXPECTING TO GET 70-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN BACK- PAY — THAT HASN T HAPPENED SO HE S SUING FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF MIKE BARRERAS HAS BEEN CAGE-FIGHTING TO PICK UP SOME EXTRA CASH 7 51 i basically lost everything -1 BARRERAS LOST HIS JOB AS HEAD WRESTLING COACH AND TEACHER AT CIBOLA HIGH SCHOOL IN 2007 A 16 YEAR OLD STUDENT MANAGER OF THE WRESTLING TEAM CLAIMED BARRERAS RAPED HER 3 57 this has ruined my life it s ruined my family -3 6 MONTHS AGO THE D-A IN THE CASE SAID BARRERAS ACCUSER WASN T COOPERATING AND THERE WASN T ANY EVIDENCE SO THE CASE WAS DROPPED 4 11 we go to school to help these kids and yet there s no protection for us as teachers and coaches -5 IN A SETTLEMENT PROPOSAL BARRERAS ASKED THE SCHOOL FOR 70 GRAND IN BACK PAY FOR THE YEAR-AND- A-HALF HE WAS WITHOUT WORK A-P-S HASN T PAID HIM A DIME 7 15 that money s owed to me -1 NOT SO — SAYS A- P-S A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DISTRICT SAYS THE ALLEGATIONS SURFACED DURING THE OFF-SEASON AND WHEN BARRERAS NEXT CONTRACT CAME UP HE WAS NOT REHIRED AND SINCE HE WAS NOT UNDER CONTRACT AND DIDN T PERFORM SERVICES HE WON T GET PAID BARRERAS SAYS THE DISTRICT PREMATURELY LET HIM GO BEFORE THE INVESTIGATION WRAPPED UP NOW THAT HE S BEEN CLEARED AND A-P-S STILL ISN T PAYING BARRERAS WANTS TO WRESTLE THE CASE IN COURT 8 39 i m not asking for a quarter of a million dollars just give me my salary let me go on my way you guys go on your way -5 BARRERAS SAYS THE LAWSUIT WILL BE FILED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS NOW HE S ASKING FOR 150-THOUSAND DOLLARS AND HAS HIRED WELL KNOWN ATTORNEY SAM BREGMAN WHILE BARRERAS HAS NO DESIRE TO WORK AT CIBOLA HIGH AGAIN HE IS HOPING TO FILL THE HEAD WRESTLING COACH POSITION AT RIO RANCHO S NEW HIGH SCHOOL BACK TO YOU CIBOLA HIGH SCHOOL HAD TO FIRE TENNIS COACH JOSE LEYVA IN 2005 AFTER SIMILAR ACCUSATIONS SURFACED A STUDENT S PARENTS CLAIMED LEYVA SEDUCED THEIR DAUGHTER WHILE SHE PLAYED