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As the investigation by the San Benito High School District into the Hollister High varsity football program enters a second month since it was announced, Benitolink has learned that Baler varsity football head coach Thomas Sullivan returned to the classroom weeks ago as a special education teacher.
Sullivan was placed on paid administrative leave as a coach on Sept. 10 when the district said it was investigating football “team activities.” He was subsequently placed on leave from his teaching position a few days later, then was reinstated.
According to the school’s online directory, Sullivan is a teacher who works with mild to moderate needs students.
According to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, students in mild to moderate needs classes may be diagnosed with autism, emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, health impairments or a specific learning disability.
The district, through Communications Officer Adam Breen and Chief Human Resources Officer Cindi Peterson, has declined multiple times to confirm whether Sulllivan is teaching with the district, saying it cannot provide additional details because of the ongoing investigation.
The district has also not disclosed if the investigation is being conducted internally or by an outside agency, or how long it could be before the probe will be completed.
Nearly two weeks after being placed on leave, Sullivan released a statement through an attorney saying he was saddened by the cancelled season and that at no time did he have knowledge of the circumstances that led to the cancellation.
The day after Sullivan was placed on leave as head coach, the Balers varsity beat Wilcox under former longtime coach Chris Cameron to improve to 3-0 on the season.
The following week, the district announced the varsity football team would forfeit its next game, against Alisal, and on Sept. 21, during Homecoming week, the district announced the varsity football team’s season would be cancelled because there weren’t enough eligible student-athletes to safely field a team. The team’s roster included 64 players this season, according to MaxPreps.
Had the forfeit not occurred and the season continued, the Baler varsity would have been preparing to play its eighth game of the year on Oct. 16.
Sullivan has been leading the varsity program since March 2025.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
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