People leave me alone. 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. Now, GOP lawmakers have turned their attention to what books children have access to in schools. Aria Jones, Breaking news reporter. He said he agreed to take some of the photos down. ", Grapevine-Colleyville ISD issued the following statement Monday. It was all there. The students created a fake wall with the. He received a disciplinary letter from the district a few weeks later and was placed on administrative leave soon after that. THEATRE DEPARTMENT. Perhaps that would spur someone to investigate the problem more aggressively. Besides, she said. Bryan had to lie, even to friends who sidled up to him in private and asked if he was the one. I showed it to my wife, who immediately begins to well up with tears," he said. The school district has called the photos questionable for an educator, especially a principal or administrator, and they said it has nothing to do with race. Im used to it.. 4:25 PM on Mar 1, 2022 CST Updated at 8:58 PM on Mar 1, 2022 CST. If my house was on fire, would you put it out? she asked. Not Bryans. COLLEYVILLE - Nine Colleyville Heritage High School students involved in football and other athletics have admitted to using steroids, district officials said Friday. She was still at her sales conference. The foursome scrambled back into their car and took off. It was at this moment that I knew the attack that we currently endure, was coming, the principal wrote on Facebook. 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 That they will no longer give into that culture of forcing to assimilate and being ashamed of their identity," said student Sunehra Cowdhury. At the first public hearing the school district held to discuss the issue, including spending money for more drug testing, not one parent showed up. She didnt take long to make her decision: Bring it on.. It was early afternoon on Wednesday, September 22, and the Colleyville mother, after putting away the jeans, noticed a black leather bag. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield has faced sharp criticism from some parents who are accusing him of teaching critical race theory. It was the sort of breakthrough that could take a pointy-headed newspaper treatise and make it touch people, win awards, effect change. GPA is calculated on a 4.0 weighted GPA scale. Update: Revised at 9 p.m. with more information. He loves his new school. She wants a million-five. Clark said Whitfield was encouraging the disruption and destruction of our district because Whitfield, the high school's first Black principal, wrote a letter to the community during the summer of 2020 detailing how hurt he was over the deaths of three Black Americans: George Floyd in Minnesota, Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia. The CHHS kids who posted to the Morning News steroids bulletin boards, saying everyone knew this was a problem, that it is still a problem. 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. Over the next year, he wants to work closely with educators and students, especially helping teachers who are fearful that what happened to him will happen to them. She laughs about it more than she complains. They shouldnt be filing stupid lawsuits. Wednesday and Thursday shows are cancelled due to inclement weather. And the News reporters agreed that they wouldnt identify any of the other students who Bryan knew or suspected used steroids. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD may decide his fate by Monday. District: Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (ISD) SchoolDigger Rank: 370th of 1,876 Texas High Schools. In December, however, nine students involved in football and other unspecified sports came forward and said they used steroids last spring. Cunningham wants to know, Why now? By Hannah Natanson Photos and. McClure said school officials held meetings and questioned students, but nobody admitted to using the muscle-building substances. Unfortunately, it didnt work out that way.. LIVE: Colleyville Heritage vs. Grapevine | 2023 High School Soccer - YouTube Premieres in 4 hours February 21 at 4:00 PM Rice Memorial vs. Colchester | 2023 High School Boys Basketball. I thought, Wow, that didnt work. The reporters worked other sources. Hes a good kid. In response to written questions from Jones and Jacobson, the district acknowledged that nine CHHS football players, eight seniors and one junior, had admitted to using steroids. 562. At Colleyville Heritage High, students rushed to defend James Whitfield, who has been accused of embracing critical race theory and is in danger of being fired. He was asked to remove photos from Facebook taken on a beach vacation with is wife, that some felt were inappropriate. While the move may have been about personnel, Whitfield said it feels personal. It's he and his beautiful wife, they have a beautiful family," said Sunni Roppollo, who has children at Colleyville Heritage High. Thats it? I just want to get on with my life. His resignation wont be official until Aug. 15, 2023. 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.". Theyd made a mistake, she says. For nearly 10 years, she wrote restaurant reviews for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and her work has appeared in 360 West, Eater Dallas, Edible DFW, A+C magazine, D CEO, GlobeSt.com and Houstonia magazine. He is rubbing his hands while he talks, trying to get the grime off his fingers. NO NAMES. Never missed one, she says proudly. As the editorial note at the storys end explained, She and her son feared retaliation from other Colleyville athletes, coaches, and parents. The Tarrant County Narcotics Unit, now working the steroids investigation, told Lewis that her first call should have been to them months ago. The video was shot off campus and not during normal school hours.. SOUTHLAKE, Texas - Carroll ISD is punishing some students for an offensive video that shows a group of teens chanting the n-word. One section on the report's website was called "Colleyville Heritage's team secret". The school district announced Monday,. "His diversity efforts have just been amazing," said student Samantha Zelling, who took part in Friday's march and protest. Lewis told Beal she was left with no choice but to take her story to the media. Some parents from Colleyville Heritage learned of the photo incident after a lengthy social media post Whitfield made over the weekend about the accusations he's faced and the pressure he and his family have been under, including the frustration over the district asking him to take down the photo. It ate at her. I think its sweet. Hate and #racism will not rule the day. A black high school principal in Texas said he was told by a district official to remove an anniversary photo from Facebook of himself kissing his white wife so as not to stir up stuff amid complaints from parents, according to reports. But as Lewis read it, she found something horrible. I know he is. Suite 2100 Theyre mad at my mom because shes messing with that.. She called a reporter at the weekly Colleyville Courier and told him her story. "They did not feel there was a problem that we needed to look into," Rogers said. 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. Lawmakers eventually passed House Bill 3979, which restricts how teachers can discuss current events, encourage civic engagement and teach about Americas history of racism. But the moms wouldnt tell the other moms about it, because they want their kid to have an edge. Later, they showed Bryan the list. 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. Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. 972-983-4822 cell. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. Im gonna beat your ass.. Like most teens, he acts blas, even when talking about how much he cant wait for college so I can get away from this town, all the crap thats gone on., Not that hes obsessing about it, either, he says. He hopes he starts, he says. Hes on his third cycle.. Dec 29, 2022 The 2022-23 UIL high school soccer season officially starts today and the Star Telegram released its first soccer area rankings this week. "The only mention we make is a warning on health effects on our Web site," she said. "But if it's not CRT for this group, it will be something else.". , Lori Lewis says the comments by Coach Cunningham slandered her and her reputation has been damaged. As she waited, she overheard customers gabbing. Oh, no. "We don't make rules unless we're asked by our member schools.". I love them, they love me," Whitfield said in an interview with WFAA's Jason Whitely on the same day the students walked out of school to support him. The only other known instance in which a group of high school athletes admitted to steroid use was in Buckeye, Ariz., in fall 2003, according to the Associated Press. Lewis repeated that shed told him everything she knew. by Brian Lopez 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. 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.". Nov. 10, 20215 PM Central. Not one day has gone by that I havent had to deal with this or talk about it to someone. Colleyville Heritage High School (CHHS) is a public secondary school in Colleyville, Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Too many of them are, but this one certainly is. He sounded drunk. Hes been up at his schools weight room with other athletes, cleaning the mats, spray-painting the weights, putting the gym junk away. Many in town obviously dont take the steroids problem seriously. Whitfield wrote that the allegations were connected to a 2019 presentation he took part in as middle school principal on Breaking the Barriers that addressed peoples differences. But they would not be more specific. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? "I look at the picture, and I look at the words above it, and it says, 'Is this the Dr. Whitfield we want leading our schools?' They are: 1. He said the district wouldn't tell him why. 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. 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. From the moment I called the school, I didnt want him involved. Live. In May 2018, Dr. Ryan was named the 2018 Region XI Superintendent of the Year. I knew it as soon as I finished the story. Bryan may be able to help, but dont contact him at school. She worried he would be labeled a snitch if it became a public ordeal. Read more about this topic: Colleyville Heritage High School, Athletics, And therefore, as when there is a controversy in an account, the parties must by their own accord, set up for right Reason, the Reason of some Arbitrator, or Judge, to whose sentence, they will both stand, or their controversy must either come to blows, or be undecided, for want of a right Reason constituted by Nature; so is it also in all debates of what kind soever.Thomas Hobbes (15791688), Bret Boone - Professional Career - Legacy -. 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. Not their real names, of course. It was at this moment that I knew the attack that we currently endure, was coming., In a statement to KXAS-TV (NBC5), the district said the photos it received contained poses that are questionable for an educator, especially a principal or administrator. His resignation won't be official. 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. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. [2] Colleyville Heritage High School celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006. Do you value our journalism? He's a happily married man. Lewis didnt want to confront Bryan in front of his friends. "They're here to show their voice. The Grapevine . Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to Grapevine-Colleyville . Note! CHHS has several sub-administrators who are given students to oversee based on last name. No one could see her talking to school officials. A wave of nausea swept through her. One of the students was detained on a charge of having a weapon in a place where its prohibited, police said. An anonymous parent called the high school and said football players were using steroids, which are illegal to use or possess in Texas without a prescription, and that the school's football coach condoned it. She knew it would have to be this way. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Bryan is used to getting in trouble with his mom. The driver, the stockiest of the bunch, rapped on Bryans window. It was, 'Hey, I am trying to avoid any conflict. GreatSchools Rating 5 reviews Awards Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. Nearly a year later, she still believes this. The student came forward only after his mother discovered a bag full of syringes and vials of liquids in his bedroom closet. No real names, anyway. This was so she could direct Lewis to the appropriate vice principal. But the students at CHHS had obviously read the story. And even if the answer was all of them, how many had gone to Kroger and said she needed them for a horse? As Lewis recalls, Beal said, Ive talked to Coach Cunningham, and he says its not true. He knewfrom friends, from weight-room whispers, from his own two eyesthat many of the starters were accomplishing just that task with injected aid. Sort of. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Dallas College. Whitfield reached an agreement with Grapevine-Colleyville ISD after being accused of teaching critical race theory at his high school and placed on administrative leave. Im gonna kick your ass.. It was time to do something about her own reputationand those of future whistle-blowers. 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. One day in the lunchroom, Bryan walked up to a group of students gathered around a table. at 7pm. Ive counted. The school went on lockdown when the incident was reported. Stressed over the accusations, Whitfield said he couldn't shake the photo incident of 2019 from his head and the district's conclusion the photo was inappropriate. Officers were called around 3:20 p.m. to the campus in the 5400 block of Heritage Avenue about a man with a gun. Who is available? Devin Bryant, a senior at Covenant Christian Academy in Colleyville, says he was expelled for being gay and "evil." Principal Tommy Jeffrey doubles down on his decision, calls LGBTQ lifestyle non . A petition in support of Whitfield has hundreds of signatures, and he said he's humbled for the support he's received and regrets he held this in for so long. Thats what everybody should be doing. Who knew? She says she has had to endure the communitys anger despite what should have been ample vindication: the Dallas Morning News, in an ongoing and exhaustive investigative series, has proven that steroids use in North Texas high schools is greater than many want to believe. No big deal, Bryan thought. At a board meeting a few weeks before last weeks, the parent group accused Whitfield by name which is against school board meeting rules. Oh, that. As part of a settlement between Whitfield and the district, he will remain on paid administrative leave until then. Beal said she was not cooperating. 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. The high school has about 2,000 students in ninth through 12th grades. The school is a part of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District and serves freshmen through senior students in Colleyville and the surrounding areas of Tarrant County. There were several long pauses, she says. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied journalism and public relations. Sitting at her computer in her Mid Cities work cubicle, Lewis felt disheartened as she read the story. I look at the picture, and I look at the words above it, and it says, Is this the Dr. Whitfield we want leading our schools? I showed it to my wife, who immediately begins to well up with tears, said Whitfield, adding that he took it to mean that he was being criticized for being in an interracial relationship. The Colleyville kids rarely venture far from home. Colleyville Heritage High School went on lockdown Tuesday afternoon, March 1. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid Scandal After finding steroids in her son's athletic bag in September of 2004, a Colleyville Heritage mom approached school administrators after. James Whitfield at his home in Hurst on Sept. 16. And when he went to his truck after school, there was a sheet of notebook paper under his windshield wiper with one word scrawled across it: SNITCH.. Going forward, Whitfield believes his work in education isnt done. Let your love shine so brightly & your positive voice be so loud that it drowns out the noise. It has 1,879 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. It didnt take long for more questions to come. 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. Bryan never had to wonder whether his mom was engaged, as Dr. Phil likes to say. 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. Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. Cunningham says one of the reasons he reacted the way he did, he was told that she was screaming at school officials and accusing him of condoning the steroid use. They had the Courier article spread out, and several people were closely eyeing the photo accompanying the story. COLLEYVILLE - Nine Colleyville Heritage High School students involved in football and other athletics have admitted to using steroids, district officials said Friday. She was sad that shed been proven right. Colleyville Heritage High School Unclaimed. They said, Could you take it down? EVEN THOUGH LEWIS HAD PULLED BRYAN out of school, he was still getting hassled. Ive told you everything I know. Mom, Im going over there. On July 31, Whitfield responded to the claims in a lengthy Facebook post. If you know that is on your trusted email list, contact your child's school office (Grade Level Learning Community, Building, or SLC) to have your email added to the system. Colleyville Heritage became the focus of a district investigation during the 2004-2005 school year after a Panther football/baseball player and his mother confronted school administrators and GCISD about his use of performance-enhancing drugs. During the following months, the reporters put together their package of stories. But I didnt want any of this for Bryan, Lewis says. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He pulled forward into a parking space and waited on his friends, hoping everyone else would ignore him. Heritage Elementary School 4500 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 Eagle 1991 507 Bransford Elementary School 601 Glade Road . Hes not even playing football this year. Thats your investigation? James Whitfield chose to resign from his position as principal of Colleyville Heritage High School and the school board unanimously accepted on Monday. Thinks he will. This Houston rodeo food vendor wants you to eat his rattlesnake, Astros GM Dana Brown has more praise team's top prospect, Heres how you can watch 'Daisy Jones and the Six', Proposed Texas bill gives tax cuts to heterosexual families only, These bites won big at the Houston rodeo's foodie awards. 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. State Rep. Matt Krause of Fort Worth, who is running for state attorney general, recently launched an inquiry into the types of books students can access in Texas schools, which included an 850-book list. The architects of the theory argue that the United States was founded on the theft of land and labor and that federal law has preserved the unequal treatment of people on the basis of race. Whitfield's status with Colleyville Heritage High School is expected to be decided at a Monday school board meeting. (CHHS officials declined to speak with D Magazine.) Lewis is suing because Cunningham told the Morning News she was a liar and a crazy mom. The scandal at CHHS, as well as the well-publicized suicide of a student-athlete in Plano, Texas resulted in the implementation of random drug testing by the University Interscholastic League in 2007. In a Sept. 1 written statement the district said: "The District has received numerous questions regarding the decision to place Dr. James Whitfield on paid administrative leave. We just have to lay low, she said. (817) 305-4700. Compare Colleyville Heritage High School to Other Schools gcisd-k12.org A new study says yes. She said it to calm her son. How many of them bought needles for players? Catherine writes about breaking news, crime and the Dallas Zoo. 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. He talked quickly, stumbling over his words, trying to explain his reasoning. "The vast majority of people in that community, they know who I am. The Grapevine-Colleyville district has taken no action against the students and is reviewing school policies to determine whether disciplinary action will be taken, she said. What's wrong with the picture?' The driver came after him. The students named an adult with no ties to the school as the source of the substances. We've received your submission. Focusing on unique things school districts are doing to help children succeed. Kids had easy access to steroids, athletes were using them, and high school administrators were in denial. She knew the pettiness would get worse once she filed the lawsuit. They needed more information. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. In Colleyville, there are four places where kids usually hang out after dark: Whataburger, Taco Bell, Sonic, and Wendys. Im going to fight him.. But James Whitfield said he took it to mean the issue was he was in an interracial relationship. Just over a month later, the district has suspended Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield without explanation, he told The Washington Post on Tuesday. Last Monday, August 23, students gathered at a school board meeting to express their support for Whitfield. The CHHS teacher who cornered her in the parking lot after the second public hearing and told her many teachers supported her but were afraid to speak out. He mentions a senior. The district had no additional comments Monday night because it is an ongoing personnel matter, a spokeswoman said in a prepared statement. Instead of issuing their support of me, they came after me, he said. She is suing the coach and the school district for $1.5 million because Cunningham said Lewis was a liar and crazy in an interview with the News. "What he's done is said listen, we teach lots of different types of kids. It was the right thing to do. Football players were calling him Patrick. Conversations stopped when he arrived. Tickets for cancelled shows will be honored at these performances. While at UT, Catherine served as managing editor of The Daily Texan, UT's student paper, and interned at the Texas Tribune and Houston Chronicle. Theres not a steroids problem on his team.. He marched into his mothers room and paced in front of her. Can you believe those boys using steroids? one asked. I wish I had the conviction to say, No, Im not going to take it down thats a picture of me and my wife kissing on the beach.
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