Coupeville Sports

Ja’Tarya Hoskins (center) credits Tom Black with having a significant impact on her.

His community is embracing him.

Budget cuts in the Coupeville School District claimed the job of CHS/CMS Dean of Students Tom Black, but people are not having it.

The through line, as captured in this letter to the editor from 2020 Wolf grad Ja’Tarya Hoskins, is that what the man brings to students is worth far more than the dollar figure on his contract.

Hoskins, who recently graduated from Saint Martin’s University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice, has the mic:

Mr. Black made Coupeville High/Middle School home.

He has been the Dean of Students since before my older brother graduated.

He watched and nurtured four generations of Hoskins graduate from 2011, 2013, 2020, and lastly, 2022.

Mr. Black was always the person that I looked forward to for a laugh every day.

His presence makes a huge impact, and it made a significant one on me.

My older brother and sister walked the halls years before I did.

I was always determined to be my own person, but it’s hard to do that when everyone wants you to be exactly like them.

Mr. Black never compared me to my siblings in the many years that I’ve known him.

He made sure that I was my own person even though we shared DNA.

Mr. Black also made CMS/CHS home; he always fought the injustices in school.

There were many times where racial slurs and racial commentary would be said around me, or at me.

Mr. Black was always the first one to protect me from them without hesitation.

He was always someone you could talk to about personal stuff, school, even teachers that were giving you a hard time.

Mr. Black will always be the home the students need in such a small school and community.

Forever and always,

#BRINGBACKBLACK!