Parents and students filled the Mathews High School media center at Tuesday night’s school board meeting in a show of support for Jami Thompson, a volunteer wrestling coach who was asked not to return to that position this season, he claims, as retribution for challenging a decision about the fall cheerleading program.

The cheerleading coach, he said, had instituted a policy that prohibited ninth graders from joining the varsity squad. Thompson eventually took his case to the Virginia High School League and freshmen were allowed to try out. He claimed that the new wrestling coach had pointed to that incident as a reason for him not being asked to come back as an assistant coach.

Thompson took his case to the Mathews County School Board, he said, because “I’ve exhausted every (other) option I have.” Everywhere Thompson turned, he said, “I’ve only been met with stone walls.”

Thompson, who said he has been serving as an assistant coach ...