PORT JERVIS — Kerry “Kaz” Sauer, a stalwart of the wrestling community in the city and in the schools who is facing charges for allegedly soliciting sex from a minor, was not required to undergo a background check or be fingerprinted because he was never paid or approved by the school district.
His volunteer status exempted him from background checks under state law, according to state education officials. Sauer has a clean record, police said, and would not have set off any red flags.
Police continue to investigate Sauer, 47, who was ingrained in wrestling in the high school, city recreation department and Tri-State Wrestling Program. Police said no additional complaints have been made against him.
School officials said Sauer became involved in the schools though community wrestling programs. School policy states that an “application shall be filed by each prospective volunteer,” but officials said Sauer’s involvement pre-dates that policy.
Sauer was so strongly associated with the Port Jervis High School wrestling team that many in Port Jervis assumed he was a wrestling coach. This included the high school’s yearbook staff, which printed a picture of Sauer in the 2006 yearbook with the varsity wrestling team and identified him as “Coach Caz” in a caption.
When Sauer was arrested earlier this month for allegedly attempting to solicit sex from a 16-year-old boy online through Facebook, the school district released a statement calling Sauer a “supporter of the wrestling program in the Port Jervis community.”
District officials now say Sauer attended “varsity wrestling tournaments, practices, and clinics at the high school with the former coaching staff” but said his involvement tapered off in the 2009-2010 school year.
The district has seven non-paid coaches. School officials released a statement saying “only board-approved coaches and volunteers are authorized to coach athletic teams” in the schools.
There has been a public relations push for volunteers in schools in the last few years, and school districts have had to contend with the issue of vetting volunteers. “It’s not as easy, or seemingly safe, as it used to be,” said Sullivan West Superintendent Ken Hilton in reference to volunteers.
Hilton said Sullivan West performs background checks and takes fingerprints of volunteers who spend a certain number of hours with students, and for all volunteer coaches.
“We’re not living in ‘Lassie’ land anymore,” Hilton said. “And we have to be careful and cautious.”
