On February 4, the Morning News dropped that bombshell and used quotes and information from their interviews with Lewis and Bryan. He knew where he was: at a party one block over. "We're talking about a very short period, weeks," district spokeswoman Robin McClure said. The school and district officials dismissed the mother's claims, and the school's head football coach went as far calling her a "liar" in a Dallas Morning News interview. Bryan never had to wonder whether his mom was engaged, as Dr. Phil likes to say. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. Colleyville Heritage High School. He was asked to remove photos from Facebook taken on a beach vacation with is wife, that some felt were inappropriate. Im gonna kick your ass.. Arent they illegal now? Beal asked her to come into the school for a talk. CHHS is a big school, with more than 2,200 students and an operating budget of $136.5 million for the past school year (although $44.1 million of that went to Robin Hood payments). 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.. They had to get everything ready for when they return after the summer, when Bryan plans to go out for the varsity team. Bryan sat across from them, Lewis next to him. On the front page blared her sons story: Colleyville player says pressure to improve prompted steroid use.. Colleyville Heritage High School's new principal, Dr. James Whitfield, is now speaking out saying he wishes he could've taken more of a stand in 2019 after his photo first stirred up. No big deal, Bryan thought. "But if it's not CRT for this group, it will be something else.". The coaches had told him to get bigger and stronger if he wanted to earn a starting position, he said. When Ted Beal answered his phone that morning, September 23, the nightmare began for the CHHS administration. 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. Dallas Cowboys want another playmaker on offense. Hes not even playing football this year. MLB legend makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Houston is ugly, and I've never felt more at home, Texas A&M upset win clears path for UH to snag top overall seed, This is what Houston looks like from space, Oops! Colleyville Heritage High School is the 235th largest public high school in Texas and the 1,266th largest nationally. Meanwhile, a petition in support of Whitfield has garnered hundreds of signatures, and he said hes humbled for all the support hes received. Lewis jumped in her car and raced the two miles to CHHS. Whats wrong with the picture? It was, Hey, I am trying to avoid any conflict, he told the station. The titles in the list range from children's books and anti-bullying tips to novels that discuss racism and sexuality. The story was long, one of several the Morning News would run that week concerning steroid use. But she acknowledges that if shed known then how her city would turn against her, how her son would become ostracized by other kids, how her motives would be mocked on radio and television, how her actions would be second-guessed by police, it would have given her pause. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied journalism and public relations. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 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. When no one showed up, she called the owner to ask why. Love will! In Colleyville, there are four places where kids usually hang out after dark: Whataburger, Taco Bell, Sonic, and Wendys. 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. Weve always been close, but since this, its been tough. Read more about this topic: Colleyville Heritage High School, Athletics Other articles related to "steroid controversy, steroid, steroids": Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. ), & 6 (Mon.) Some in the district have accused him of implementing critical race theory in the classroom. Thats your investigation? These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands. School would be out soon. In early August, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD placed Whitfield on administrative leave. Bryan, afraid that someone inside had called the police, did the same. Faking it wasnt easy. Colleyville is a majority-white city with only 1% of residents identifying as Black or African American, according to census data. 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 school went on lockdown when the incident was reported. "The vast majority of people in that community, they know who I am. 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. Mother and son had always been close, though. 972-983-4822 cell. Minutes later, her son, Bryan Dyer (Lewis remarried in 1993), walked out of the school with a friend and headed toward his truck. August 30, 2021 / 5:42 PM 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. Phone calls can only be accepted the day of the absence. The man, Stetson Clark, narrowly lost a school board race in May to the incumbent, Becky St. John. They needed more information. He knows its just because she loves him, but, damn, so many other kids get away with telling white lies, staying out late. By now, she had revealed her identity in subsequent newspaper stories. A few days later, he dialed the players cell phone to arrange delivery, reaching him in an SAT preparation class.. A few parents blamed Lewis for making this an issue. Some of the photos the district received contained poses that are questionable for an educator, especially a principal or administrator. We need to make sure we're providing a healthy environment for all of them. According to state test scores, 55% of students are at least proficient in math and 77% in reading. Hes on his third cycle.. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. He said he agreed to take some of the photos down. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. 5401 Heritage Avenue, Colleyville, TX 76034 . According to their story, Cunningham went on a 15-minute rant and blamed the then-unidentified mother for creating this problem. The University Interscholastic League, which sets rules for competition in Texas high school sports, has no policy on steroids. But other than that, its great. Officers were called around 3:20 p.m. to the campus in the 5400 block of Heritage Avenue about a man with a gun. It's he and his beautiful wife, they have a beautiful family," said Sunni Roppollo, who has children at Colleyville Heritage High. Nine CHHS players have admitted to using steroids. Last Monday, August 23, students gathered at a school board meeting to express their support for Whitfield. 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. Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond. They would cooperate fully with the News reporters, but they wouldnt give anyone up. James Whitfield, principal of Colleyville Heritage High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, was placed on paid administrative leave in late August, a month after a former school board candidate . Critical race theory, or CRT, is an academic discipline usually taught at the university level. Hes a happily married man. Judges rejected so many of the girls that they did not have enough cheerleaders for a junior varsity squad this year. Show us with your support. Colleyville Heritage High School 5401 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 P 817-305-4700 F 817-358-4765 That was months ago. I wonder who it was.. 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. Whitfield is now speaking out about the incident and responding to what he claims are bigoted and racist attacks, including accusations that he is a proponent of critical race theory. THE SECRETARY AT COLLEYVILLE HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL asked Lori Lewis for her sons last name. It's something he and the district have denied. And it has nearly ruined their lives. We will not sit silently while these individuals continue their bigoted attacks. Eric Celeste is the editor at Spirit, the inflight magazine of Southwest Airlines. Dr. James Whitfield has been on administrative leave since late August. Colleyville Heritage High School is a public high school of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District located in Colleyville, TX. Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,925. Beal said she was not cooperating. All four got out of the car. Under mounting pressure from district officials, local and national media, and law enforcement, a total of nine other CHHS athletes confessed to use of steroids and other PEDs. There were four teenagers inside, two in the front seat, two in back. So when Bryan pulled into the drive-thru and ordered, he wasnt surprised to see people he knew. 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. Overall Score 89.05 /100. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD may decide his fate by Monday. Then, two weeks later, Bryan left a movie theater on a weekend night. But James Whitfield said he took it to mean the issue was he was in an interracial relationship. The median household income tops $150,000. We remain committed to providing a learning environment that fosters and encourages student academic and extracurricular achievement, Ryan wrote. From the moment I called the school, I didnt want him involved. Oh, no. 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. ABSENCES. Lewis told Beal that her son had used steroids, that he obtained them from other kids on the team, that they got them from someone at the nearby Whataburger. The tough drug-testing program that Grapevine-Colleyville has adopted. 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. Join us today so we can achieve that goal! 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. A new study says yes. and I asked, 'Why? Colleyville Heritage High School Unclaimed. They werent too happy with me, she says. 12. Ive told you everything I know. Media pundits like Hansen say she should shut up and let it be. In the ensuing days, Whitfield found himself at the center of the debate over how race is taught in Texas schools. Our membership goal is 1 voice for every student! People leave me alone. 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. She tries to focus on the things shes helped accomplish. 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. Kids had easy access to steroids, athletes were using them, and high school administrators were in denial. James Whitfield, who was named Colleyville Heritage High School's first African-American principal in 2020, posted that during the July 26 board meeting, he was publicly named and accused of . Bryan had to lie, even to friends who sidled up to him in private and asked if he was the one. It was too quiet, she says. Instead, a car slowly inched into the space next to him. Well, Im a friend of Coach Cunninghams. When Lori Lewis learned that many players on her sons Colleyville Heritage football team were using steroids, she blew the whistle. 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. 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. Can you take this picture down? He meant half the players who mattered were juicing. How many varsity football players got calls for drug deals in their SAT prep class this year? I just want to know, Why? Among other things, SB 3 bans schools from making political activism part of a course and says teachers may not be compelled to talk about a widely debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or social affairs.. (CHHS officials declined to speak with D Magazine.) He decided in the summer to concentrate on baseball. He hung up. They were identified merely as the athlete and his mother.. "What he's done is said listen, we teach lots of different types of kids. Too many of them are, but this one certainly is. She wants a million-five. / CBS Texas, UPDATE: Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Releases New Statement On Decision To Put Principal James Whitfield On Paid Administrative Leave. Feb. 5, 2005. What did you expect him to say? When he decided not to play (and when he noticed acne on his back during the family vacation in Florida), he stopped. CHHS is a big school, with more than 2,200 students and an operating budget of $136.5 million for the. Students were dismissed about an hour late Tuesday, the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District tweeted. 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. We understand that members of our community have questions, but the District does not resolve personnel matters in the media. (Cunningham says that at the time of the remarks, he didnt know Lewis identity, and he has since apologized.) McClure said no school officials have been implicated in the matter. But no names were used. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. "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. This was so she could direct Lewis to the appropriate vice principal. Catherine Marfin, Breaking News Reporter. I know that there's just so many people under these attacks and that's my greatest fear because this profession means so much to me, he said. His friend stopped him. . "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.'". 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. 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 . He sold her the needles.. Bryan knew who it was. "They did not feel there was a problem that we needed to look into," Rogers said. Update: Revised at 9 p.m. with more information. I knew it as soon as I finished the story. Keeping Score: FC Dallas lights up the sky and the net on 80s night vs. LA Galaxy, 71-year-old man with dementia missing in Fort Worth, Expect mostly sunny skies this weekend after severe weather hits North Texas, Keller ISD teacher says school administrators asked him to remove Black Lives Matter banner in classroom, 'If I fold, what do they have left?' Her discovery. Officers on the scene have "the individual involved detained.". Lewis asked that Beal call her back when his investigation was finished. "I chalk it up to educators are held to a different standard, unfortunately. ", "Nothing he's done has anything to do with critical race theory," said civil rights attorney David Henderson ofEllwanger Law, which is supporting Whitfield. Sitting at her computer in her Mid Cities work cubicle, Lewis felt disheartened as she read the story. We hid the photo, no one from above ever mentioned anything else about it, but the damage was inflicted on us in profound ways. 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I have done nothing wrong by anyone, Whitfield said. Wednesday and Thursday shows are cancelled due to inclement weather. 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.. Lori Lewis carried a pair of her sons jeans into his closet. I thought, Wow, that didnt work. ", "Anything that has to do with being inclusive, having a safe and nurturing environment for all students, they want to attach that to CRT, because it's the boogeyman buzzword of the day," added Whitfield. (Even though, technically, its in Euless.) He pulled forward into a parking space and waited on his friends, hoping everyone else would ignore him. As part of a settlement between Whitfield and the district, he will remain on paid administrative leave until then. Its a smart school, too, well above state and national averages in students ACT and SAT scores. 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, it added. Attendance Clerk. Heritage Elementary School 4500 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 Eagle 1991 507 Bransford Elementary School 601 Glade Road . 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. All that stuff I could handle, and I do handle, she says. Why should my kid be drug-tested just because you cant control yours?. Suite 2100 The driver came after him. Her son, a junior at Colleyville Heritage High School, had several such travel bags in his closet, but the others were all pressed flat, unused. I just wish everyone else would.. One section on the report's website was called "Colleyville Heritage's team secret". 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. But the moms wouldnt tell the other moms about it, because they want their kid to have an edge. But if were really concerned about reputations here, whose reputation has been damaged more? She didnt take long to make her decision: Bring it on.. 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. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. She didnt believe it. COLLEYVILLE The Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Tarrant County on Tuesday requested a meeting with the civil rights office of the U.S. Department of Education to discuss the ongoing. By about 6 p.m., all students had been dismissed and all buses had left the campus, according to the school district. Other people in the audience shouted in support and cheered when Clark made his remarks. 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.". COLLEYVILLE - Nine Colleyville Heritage High School students involved in football and other athletics have admitted to using steroids, district officials said Friday. But Colleyville police Detective Hillary Wreay said her department has received no information from the school on the alleged sale or distribution of steroids and has no investigation in progress. Nearly a year later, she still believes this. Hes a good kid. Colleyville Heritage High School 5401 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 P 817-305-4700 F 817-358-4765 Like Our Page on Facebook Follow us on Twitter The professionally shot photos, which were provided to People magazine by the Grapevine-Colleyville school district, show the couple in an intimate pose on a beach. Besides, she said. Theres no reason for me to take this photo down,' he told KXAS. In two sentences, theyd given Bryan away., Patrick arranged the [steroids purchase] with a couple of phone calls, paying $200 to a varsity football player. Going forward, Whitfield believes his work in education isnt done. Three of his best friends have transferred to it in the past few years, so he has his core group of buddies together. Lewis said she didnt want the schools help. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Compare Colleyville Heritage High School to Other Schools gcisd-k12.org 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. At that moment, it didnt seem like an earth-shattering admission. Who knew? Lewis was dumbfounded. But on Friday morning, students marched out of school to protest his treatment by Grapevine-Colleyville ISD administration, and to demand that their beloved principal be brought back to the campus. 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. In a July 31 post on his personal Facebook page, Whitfield responded: "I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. No one has provided any evidence that Cunningham knew about the steroid use on his football team, and theres no evidence that Lori Lewis is a crazy mom. In a letter to parents Monday, Superintendent Robin Ryan wrote that Whitfield has been placed on leave but that he would not go into the specifics because it is a personnel matter., Whitfield, the schools first Black principal, told The Dallas Morning News on Monday night that he was told he was put on leave indefinitely because the superintendent has determined that doing so is in the best interest of the District.. Hed only used them for a short while at the end of his sophomore year, when he wanted to make the varsity team as a junior. He took notes: Most Football Team taking SteroidsSon Played last yearCoach CunninghamSon Plays [blacked out]*Anomysly*. Lt. Gov. 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. And the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD has adopted an aggressive drug-testing policy, due largely to the hot media glare Lewis helped focus on the school and its tepid (in her view) initial response to her charges. They had the Courier article spread out, and several people were closely eyeing the photo accompanying the story.

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