colleyville heritage high school scandal

Check to be sure that email from abi@luhsd.net will come through. It was all there. Only 22,000 people live in Colleyville. At least hes not a drug addict, she thought. The students named an adult with no ties to the school as the source of the substances. 562. One of those parents complained. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas, 18-year-old man, student face charges after gun found in car at Colleyville Heritage High School, What we know after 3 children killed, 2 wounded at Ellis County home, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones defers comment on revival of sexual harassment lawsuit. Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas hosted controversial event. They were identified merely as the athlete and his mother.. The high school has been categorized as one of the top 100 high schools in the United States of America by the Newsweek magazine's Challenge Index. The 18-year-old, who is not a student, and two juvenile students were located inside the school, police said. (Cunningham says that at the time of the remarks, he didnt know Lewis identity, and he has since apologized.) Instead, a car slowly inched into the space next to him. It was also about keeping up with bitter enemies from Southlake Carroll, Grapevine, Keller, all the schools on the schedule. A few days later, he dialed the players cell phone to arrange delivery, reaching him in an SAT preparation class.. HERE IS PART OF ABC CHANNEL 8 SPORTS director Dale Hansens on-air editorial from April 19, the day Lewis filed a lawsuit against Coach Chris Cunningham for slander, asking for $1.5 million in damages. As part of a settlement between Whitfield and the district, he will remain on paid administrative leave until then. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. Lawmakers eventually passed House Bill 3979, which restricts how teachers can discuss current events, encourage civic engagement and teach about Americas history of racism. She says she sued Coach Cunningham not just because she feels his remarks made life tough in Colleyville, but because she says she wants to be sure other schools will think twice before ignoring a whistle-blower. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? "Our lawyers are looking at it," she said. Bryan got out and starting jawing with him. "As this is an ongoing personnel matter, we will not comment further. Normally, the school dismisses at 4 p.m., a district spokesman said, but around 5:15 p.m. the district tweeted that it was doing a controlled dismissal of all students.. Thinks he will. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. When Bryan got to school on Monday, it didnt take long to see that his cover had been blown. I have done nothing wrong by anyone, Whitfield said. Wed have to move if our names came out, she said.. One day in the lunchroom, Bryan walked up to a group of students gathered around a table. She knew it would have to be this way. Theyre open late, they have cheap food, and theyre close by. Then on July 26 of this year, a former school board candidate named Stetson Clark stepped up to the microphone during a public comment period to accuse Whitfield of being an advocate for critical race theory: the idea that racism runs deep and continues to shape American society today. "Because of his extreme views I ask that a full review of Mr. Whitfield's tenure in our district be examined and that his contract be terminated effective immediately," said Clark, who lost a recent campaign to join the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD school board. She makes mention of that one time someone said or did something to her daughter relating to the steroids backlash, but when I ask about it, she says she wont talk about it. That evening, she obsessed about its implication. 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Can you hide it?' / CBS Texas, UPDATE: Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Releases New Statement On Decision To Put Principal James Whitfield On Paid Administrative Leave. The school district announced Monday,. Proponents also believe race is culturally invented, not biological. Lesli Ware. THOSE WERE THE GROUND RULES, never in question, always understood. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield opened up in a lengthy Facebook post on July 31 about the incident from 2019 shortly after he had been promoted to the top post at. Suite 2100 From the moment I called the school, I didnt want him involved. This story has been shared 117,245 times. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD may decide his fate by Monday. James Whitfield - Colleyville Heritage High Principal (CBS 11), Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Releases New Statement On Decision To Put Principal James Whitfield On Paid Administrative Leave. Whether the district acted over concerns from parents over racial issues or the way the couple was posed, Roppollo said there was no reason to censor the principal. Oh, yeah, some of them are still doing it, Bryan says. Not their real names, of course. Its a stupid lawsuit. Some in the district have accused him of implementing critical race theory in the classroom. Perhaps that would spur someone to investigate the problem more aggressively. In February 2005, The Dallas Morning News published an in-depth report entitled "The Secret Edge", a look at the topic of steroids in high school sports. The school became the focus of national attention during a 2005 steroid scandal involving multiple student-athletes. Bryan sat across from them, Lewis next to him. No, it didnt. Grapevine-Colleyville sources have said that the district does not teach CRT, a doctrine that pushes the notion that racism underpins Americas history, laws and institutions, according to the Dallas Morning News. Were set to play more disadvantaged and diverse opponents Trinity. Colleyville Heritage High School 5401 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 P 817-305-4700 F 817-358-4765 James Whitfield chose to resign from his position as principal of Colleyville Heritage High School and the school board unanimously accepted on Monday. The Grapevine . The video was shot off campus and not during normal school hours.. The paper sent a photographer, who took a picture of the vial of steroids, commonly known as Deca. And the story ran on the front page of the Courier on October 1, under a three-column headline that read: Steroid Use Suspected in Some Area Schools., The impact on the administration was less than shed hoped. No one could see her talking to school officials. But the students at CHHS had obviously read the story. They had the Courier article spread out, and several people were closely eyeing the photo accompanying the story. 12. If I called your boss and said your kids and their friends are using drugs, my kid says youre looking the other way and not doing anything about it and thats not true, what would you say? No one from the school called her. Gregg Jones and Gary Jacobson sat at Lewis kitchen table, in her upper-middle-class, redbrick home, on a quiet street in Colleyville, and grilled the mother and son for hours, during several interview sessions. 972-983-4822 cell. I am the first African American to assume the role of Principal at my current school in its 25-year history, and I am keenly aware of how much fear this strikes in the hearts of a small minority who would much rather things go back to the way they used to be, he wrote. When no one showed up, she called the owner to ask why. By midweek, Bryan couldnt take the whispers and the barely contained seething of the football players. During the following months, the reporters put together their package of stories. Summarizing his defense, he finally blurted, Mom, the majority of the football team is taking them.. Hed been playing sports in Colleyville since tee ball at age 4, and through select baseball and Pee Wee football, all the way through this, his junior year, shed attended every game. When he decided not to play (and when he noticed acne on his back during the family vacation in Florida), he stopped. Overall Score 89.05 /100. "I wish I had the conviction to say, 'No, I'm not going to take it down; that's a picture of me and my wife kissing on the beach; there's no reason for me to take this photo down.'". , Lori Lewis says the comments by Coach Cunningham slandered her and her reputation has been damaged. Colleyville Heritage High School went on lockdown Tuesday afternoon, March 1. They know.. She couldnt even get her grass cut? I am grateful for your partnership and look forward to working with you to serve and support the students of Colleyville Heritage High School.. Contact info. Its even tough to find a yardman in town. After months of trying, Jones and Jacobson finally interviewed coach Chris Cunningham, who declined to talk to D Magazine through a spokeswoman and through his lawyers. "The vast majority of people in that community, they know who I am. Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials. Because the use took place away from school and in the off-season, when it was not related to a school activity, it is unclear whether any school policies have been violated, McClure said. The driver said he was friends with one of the players who used steroids. Hey, you little pussy, he said. So when Bryan pulled into the drive-thru and ordered, he wasnt surprised to see people he knew. At a board meeting a few weeks before last weeks, the parent group accused Whitfield by name which is against school board meeting rules. "We don't know what report they're talking about," she said. This one held something. That person was reported to the Colleyville police, she said. But he said trouble began as far back as 2019 when someone complained to administrators he was setting a "bad example" by posting pictures of himself kissing his wife on Facebook. How many varsity football players got calls for drug deals in their SAT prep class this year? According to their story, Cunningham went on a 15-minute rant and blamed the then-unidentified mother for creating this problem. In hindsight, of course I should have just called them. Why did you stop?Jones and Jacobson, top-notch investigative reporters, had been working on a series of stories about steroid abuse in area high schools. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands. Its why she doesnt let me talk to, or even see, her husband and younger daughter. Sports means everything to folks here, Bryan says. Maybe he wont tell anyone.Then she read paragraph 33, which detailed Patricks efforts to have a woman buy his needles so he wouldnt arouse suspicion: The cheerleader went to a nearby Kroger supermarket. Its been a roller coaster for him, she says. Kids had easy access to steroids, athletes were using them, and high school administrators were in denial. Opposition to critical race theory has become a rallying cry for Texas Republican leaders, who claim its indoctrinating students and teaching white students that they are racist. Aria has interned at the Austin American-Statesman, the Texas Tribune and the El Paso Times. He knows its just because she loves him, but, damn, so many other kids get away with telling white lies, staying out late. They shouldnt be filing stupid lawsuits. Website. Critical race theory, or CRT, is an academic discipline usually taught at the university level. She stared at the label, trying to concentrate as her heart rate spiked. On their cardboard, handmade wall, they wrote: 'Paid for by . at 7pm. There were also names. My friends are used to it. Colleyville Heritage, however, is the first school in the state to have multiple students admit to using steroids, said Kim Rogers, spokeswoman for the University Interscholastic League. The district told WFAA again Friday that the decision has nothing to. It centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nations institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people in society. He mentions a senior. I knew what I was getting into. In fact, she knows that by filing a slander suit against the schools football coach, Chris Cunningham, she has only invited more recrimination. Can you take this picture down? Get out of the car, Dyer, he said. Aug. 5, 2021 In June 2019, shortly after James Whitfield, a Black educator, was hired as the principal of a middle school in Colleyville, Texas, an administrator with the school district. Alphabet L - Z. lesli.ware@gcisd.net. CNN A high school principal in North Texas who was placed on leave after being publicly accused of promoting critical race theory has agreed to leave his role. Colleyville is a Yuppie burb, sure, with a median home price of $335,000, but it is affluence packed on top of a former tiny farming community, a fine cloth draped over an old couch. But you figure theres a problem at the school, you call the school. Lewis was convinced the tiny bottle held heroin, unaware that most illicit drugs are not sold with pharmaceutical labels. Well, I had an interesting day, he told his mother by phone that night. Colleyville players admit to briefly using steroids, Mayor: HISD has two optionsclose school or be taken over, Rare photos show 2 ocelots crossing South Texas road, Eric Gordon trade looking better and better for Houston Rockets, Willie Nelson pays lovely tribute to another country legend, Hiker takes 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo at Brazos Bend State Park, This Texas Hill Country town is the new, cooler Fredericksburg. Our membership goal is 1 voice for every student! Bryan understands, she says. Welcome to the Colleyville Heritage PTSA Facebook Page intended to keep our parents, teachers, and students current on upcoming events and opportunities CHHS PTA is a noncommercial, nonsectarian, nonpartisan association that does not endorse any candidate or political party. Too many of them are, but this one certainly is. How long did you do it? Dan Patrick has called it a ridiculous leftist narrative. Gov. This was so she could direct Lewis to the appropriate vice principal. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield opened up in a lengthy Facebook post on July 31 about the incident from 2019 shortly after he had been promoted to the top post at the middle school. Who is available? He agreed not to name the family members. And, of course, making everyone in town proud, which is what winning does. They said, Could you take it down? He knewfrom friends, from weight-room whispers, from his own two eyesthat many of the starters were accomplishing just that task with injected aid. As a new campus principal, we wanted to provide a smooth transition for Dr. Whitfield to Heritage Middle School, which is why we advised him of the concern and made a request for the photos to be taken down from Facebook.". A Black North Texas principal has agreed to resign after being put on paid administrative leave in August amid accusations he was teaching and promoting critical race theory. It would be my hope finally someone listens to the students because ultimately that's who we're here to serve. He says that many of the football players at Colleyville were introduced to steroids by someone from a nearby rival. The University Interscholastic League, which sets rules for competition in Texas high school sports, has no policy on steroids. His decision. He was asked to remove photos from Facebook taken on a beach vacation with is wife, that some felt were inappropriate. RANKINGS star-telegram.com/article2703187 #txhssoccer Besides, she said. Some of the photos the district received contained poses that are questionable for an educator, especially a principal or administrator. Earlier this week, Abbott asked the Texas Education Agency, along with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the State Board of Education, to develop statewide standards preventing "obscene content in Texas public schools.". 5401 Heritage Avenue, Colleyville, TX 76034. We remain committed to providing a learning environment at Colleyville Heritage that fosters and encourages student academic and extracurricular achievement," Grapevine-Colleyville ISD said in a news release. The Tarrant County Narcotics Unit, now working the steroids investigation, told Lewis that her first call should have been to them months ago. MOM ON A MISSION: Lewis (left) admits that if she had known how her city would turn against her, how her son Bryan (right) would be ostracized, how her actions would be second-guessed by the police, it would have made her think twice. Colleyville Heritage 31 Arlington Heights 41 Final Box Score All Contest Videos Oct 15, 2022 @ 2:59am Texas: Defensive Touchdowns from Weekend of Oct 7th, 2022 Watch this highlight video More Videos Oct 14, 2022 @ 5:54pm Contribute to the Team Complete the Schedule Add missing games to the schedule Complete the Roster GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A high school principal at the center of a controversy in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is now on administrative leave. Going forward, Whitfield believes his work in education isnt done. Police did not identify either individual. Not quoted are the audible giggles of news anchor Gloria Campos: The mother who helped uncover the steroid use at Colleyville Heritage High School, Lori Lewis, is suing football coach Chris Cunningham. Dr. James Whitfield, the former principal at Colleyville Heritage High School, filed a $250,000 defamation lawsuit against Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District and board member Tammy . Whitfield added that he has no regrets over what has transpired over the last couple of months, hes happy that he stood up for what he believed in and he hopes thats what people can learn from his situation. The photos were from an anniversary trip. And it has nearly ruined their lives. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield has faced sharp criticism from some parents who are accusing him of teaching critical race theory. On February 4, the Morning News dropped that bombshell and used quotes and information from their interviews with Lewis and Bryan. The theory's central idea is that racism is not something restricted to individuals, but that bias is something embedded in policies and legal systems. "If they do proceed with firing him, I hope the administration knows that these people aren't going anywhere," fellow student Sunehra Chowdhury said of the students who walked out of class. The man, Stetson Clark, narrowly lost a school board race in May to the incumbent, Becky St. John. I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. She wants a million-five. Had that photo been the only image, there would have been no request to remove it., In the superintendents letter Monday, Ryan told parents that the entire District leadership team and I are fully committed to the success and well-being of Colleyville Heritage students as we move forward together.. The school district announced Monday, August 30, Colleyville Heritage High Principal Dr. James Whitfield was placed on paid administrative leave. If a student must be absent from school a parent should call or email the school Attendance Office, the day of the absence, to report the student's name and the reason. CHHS PTSA Reflections Chair. Phone calls can only be accepted the day of the absence. While the status of this as an ongoing personnel matter limits the information that the District can disclose about the events leading up to this decision, the speculation and conjecture that surround these events warrant some additional context. But as Lewis read it, she found something horrible. He hung up. If my house was on fire, would you put it out? she asked. But no names were used. Sitting in her living room, Lewis moans slightly and puts her head down when her son explains what his life is like now: I just want this to be over, Bryan, 17, says. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Where were you when you first injected them? How did you get the syringes? The decision to place Dr. Whitfield on administrative leave was not a result of statements made by members of the public, including those who spoke at recent meetings of the GCISD Board of Trustees. The Grapevine-Colleyville ISD school board voted unanimously on a proposal Monday not to renew the contract of suspended Heritage High School principal James Whitfield. In the ensuing days, Whitfield found himself at the center of the debate over how race is taught in Texas schools. They needed more information. It wont change anything. Hes a happily married man. Here is a look at the Top 3 girls teams in Class 5A. The next day, Lewis picked up her Sunday Morning News and boarded a chartered bus to Austin for a sales meeting. On July 31, Whitfield responded to the claims in a lengthy Facebook post. Who is available? (Even though, technically, its in Euless.) Im gonna kick your ass.. I just want to know, Why? His friend stopped him. The 18-year-old was arrested on charges of trespassing on school grounds and having a weapon in a place where its prohibited. This PTA does not endorse n See more 636 people like this He hopes he starts, he says. Ranking weighted 4.0 GPA* (includes only Core, LOTE, and AP courses in GPA calculation), 2. Colleyville Heritage High School is a top rated, public school located in COLLEYVILLE, TX. District: Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (ISD) SchoolDigger Rank: 370th of 1,876 Texas High Schools. He said he agreed to take some of the photos down. The coach, Chris Cunningham, denied the accusations in reports published at the time and said he was adamantly against steroids. You may need to show identification if this was not done at walk-thru. It had absolutely nothing to do with race., The photo that aired in initial media reports was not the only photo that was received by the District, Kristin Snively, executive director of communications for the district, wrote in an email to The Dallas Morning News. He had a Grapevine High School sticker on his car, so he didnt go to Heritage. But other than that, its great. She expected to hear from him in a week or so. 817-305-4717. Cunningham has apologized and said it was wrong to say the things he did, but I think anybody would have reacted the same way. He was just letting her know that he wasnt alone. Nov. 10, 20215 PM Central. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. Do you value our journalism? It was too quiet, she says. Shows are now Feb. 3 (Fri.), 4 (Sat. I'm ready to turn that next page, Whitfield told The Texas Tribune on Wednesday. I wonder who it was.. GPA is calculated on a 4.0 weighted GPA scale. Lewis is suing because Cunningham told the Morning News she was a liar and a crazy mom. McClure said school officials held meetings and questioned students, but nobody admitted to using the muscle-building substances. No, she said. The story said one boy admitted to using them. For Lori Lewis is, if not a pariah in Colleyville, a shamed woman in the eyes of many who believe her campaign has unfairly smeared its high school, coach, and football program. The Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District, a wealthy suburban district northeast of Fort Worth, said eight seniors and one junior admitted using the performance-enhancing drugs for a short period last spring. The agreement seemingly puts an end to Whitfields arduous battle with the school district that date backs to July 26, when he was first accused of teaching critical race theory during a Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District school board meeting by Stetson Clark, a former candidate for the district's school board. Theres no reason for me to take this photo down,' he told KXAS. We just have to lay low, she said. Why would he use steroids? Only one. Nor was the decision made in response to allegations Dr. Whitfield was teaching Critical Race Theory, or because of the photos on his social media account that were brought to the attention of the District in 2019. I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. Lewis jumped in her car and raced the two miles to CHHS. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. "I chalk it up to educators are held to a different standard, unfortunately. They are: 1. The tick-tock drama of Bryans story, that compelling personal narrative, the hour-by-hour recounting of his traverse from good kid to drug user, would elevate the series. Since then, the district has stressed the move has nothing to do. None of the individuals had weapons on them, but a handgun was found in one of the students cars, police said. Last Monday, August 23, students gathered at a school board meeting to express their support for Whitfield. Sitting at her computer in her Mid Cities work cubicle, Lewis felt disheartened as she read the story. Scholars developed it during the 1970s and 1980s in response to what they viewed as a lack of racial progress following the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. Wednesday and Thursday shows are cancelled due to inclement weather. They even went to football games, sat in the stands, and made a list of the players who looked like they might be using steroids, based on the common signs: acne, muscular definition, rage. The vial had been photographed on Bryans glass dining room table, and the students were examining the fuzzy reflections in the glass to figure out whose house it was. EVEN THOUGH LEWIS HAD PULLED BRYAN out of school, he was still getting hassled. She knew the pettiness would get worse once she filed the lawsuit. All rights reserved, Highlighter: North Texas Students Help NASA Scientists, Educational Trailers Stolen After Presentations at Dallas Schools, Novak Djokovic Denied' US Entry Ahead Of Indian Wells, Joe Biden Asked To Intervene, Counseling Services Offered After Three Children Killed, Two Hurt In Ellis County, Check Your Change! 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But on the other hand, if you can get a million-five from everyone who says youre a liar and youre crazy, then Im gonna get me a lawyer, and Im gonna be a rich man., EVERYONE IS MAD AT LORI LEWIS these days, either for suing the high school football coach or for not keeping her mouth shut in the first place. She didnt take long to make her decision: Bring it on.. By Hannah Natanson Photos and. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. He told KXAS that he received an email at the time from a school administrator containing an image of himself and his wife, Kerrie, kissing on their anniversary trip. Thank you for spreading love! It's he and his beautiful wife, they have a beautiful family," said Sunni Roppollo, who has children at Colleyville Heritage High. Where did you get them? The curriculum, an academic framework that says racism is a systemic problem perpetuated by government policies and institutions, is not taught in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, multiple sources in the district have said. Lewis wanted to get up and walk out, but she stayed put, stayed silent. . "But if it's not CRT for this group, it will be something else.". "They said, 'Could you take it down? It didnt take long for more questions to come. McClure said the school began investigating the matter in October. Its he and his beautiful wife, they have a beautiful family, Sunni Roppollo, who has children at Colleyville Heritage High, told KXAS, adding that there was no reason to censor him.I chalk it up to educators are held to a different standard, unfortunately.

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