Students at Perry Hall High School in Baltimore County staged a short-lived protest where they not only voiced frustrations with the school’s athletic director, but called on her ouster as well.

However, according to Principal Brian Gonzalez, the conflict that arose after the departures of two football coaches has been resolved.

The students began protesting Friday and continued Monday, claiming Athletic Director Kathryn Graybeal fired the coaches.

The protesters appeared mostly riled by the October firing of coach Nick Arminio.

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He was let go after reports surfaced that he had been arrested more than a decade ago in New Jersey surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students. Arminio was never charged.

Gonzalez said the coach, Robert Hruz, who replaced Arminio left because his contract was up.

“He was brought in as emergency coach, and at the end of the season his contract expired,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez staunchly defended Graybeal, saying she had nothing to do with the departures. “If they want to be angry with anyone, it should be me,” he said. “I determine who is hired and fired.”

Ninth-grader Johnathan Nelson said the demonstrations ended Monday.

He said it was the students’ understanding that both coaches were fired for no reason. “They were doing a good job — better than all of the other coaches,” Nelson said.

Graybeal has been at the school for two years. She told The Examiner that a lot of misinformation had circulated since the two departures and that the situation was explained in a letter officials had planned to send to parents Tuesday.

But Gonzalez said the letter was scrapped after parents were notified Friday by automated phone calls about the circumstances surrounding the coaches’ departures.

“The letter [would have] rebutted everything that happened,” Graybeal said. “I don’t know who provided the misinformation, but I would greatly appreciate the truth being on the forefront.”

Gonzalez said that no one on the school staff was interested in being the varsity football coach and that when he met with the students, he told them a search would be launched for a new certified coach after the holidays.

However, “we have to go through the proper protocol to hire in accordance with Maryland state law,” he said.

Gonzalez said the new coach would be able to assemble his or her own staff, including rehiring a former coach whose contract had expired.

“In my opinion, Graybeal was taking a bum rap,” Gonzalez said. “The whole thing is that people are not able to let go of the Arminio issue. And that’s unfortunate because I don’t like the kids ... being caught up in the middle of something like this.”

drowley@batimoreexaminer.com