How did you feel? 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. In December, however, nine students involved in football and other unspecified sports came forward and said they used steroids last spring. District: Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (ISD) SchoolDigger Rank: 370th of 1,876 Texas High Schools. They needed more information. It was all there. 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. Attendance Clerk. Some in the district have accused him of implementing critical race theory in the classroom. Never missed one, she says proudly. They werent snitches. It's something he and the district have denied. How many varsity football players got calls for drug deals in their SAT prep class this year? 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. He said the district wouldn't tell him why. reflections@chhsptsa.org. She says she never used the word condone, and her demeanor in all those phone calls was completely appropriate. He wants to play wide receiver. 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. 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. Theres SO much, but I am beyond humbled by the kindness, support, love, & encouragement being shown to me and my family, he said in a tweet. Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to Grapevine-Colleyville . Because even though Lewis did the right thing, and even though she took every measure to protect her sons identity when she made that call and then later took her story to the media, it is Bryan who ultimately paid the price for his moms principled stand. There were several long pauses, she says. She has begun to work with Don Hooton, the Plano father whose 17-year-old son committed suicide in July 2003 because of his steroids-induced depression, to raise steroid awareness and stiffen national testing laws. They are: 1. Everyone would forget about it soon enough. 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. The foursome scrambled back into their car and took off. She said the issue comes up informally "every time a professional athlete makes headlines" for steroid use. We understand that members of our community have questions, but the District does not resolve personnel matters in the media. Dallas, Texas 75201. 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. At that moment, it didnt seem like an earth-shattering admission. Bryan got out and starting jawing with him. The misspelled word had two arrows drawn toward it for emphasis. Hey, you little pussy, he said. But the students at CHHS had obviously read the story. 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. Let your love shine so brightly & your positive voice be so loud that it drowns out the noise. But if were really concerned about reputations here, whose reputation has been damaged more? Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. When the kids get to middle school, a lot of them go to sports camps in the summer to improve. She asked the druggist to decipher the label for her. Now, GOP lawmakers have turned their attention to what books children have access to in schools. Lewis didnt want to confront Bryan in front of his friends. 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. Mom, Im going over there. In the minds of many, she carries with her the scarlet S affixed to those in small towns, suburban or rural, who dont honor the sanctity of high school football: snitch, squealer, sinner. Dan Patrick has called it a ridiculous leftist narrative. Gov. One section on the report's website was called "Colleyville Heritage's team secret". Compare Colleyville Heritage High School to Other Schools gcisd-k12.org That evening, she obsessed about its implication. Who is available? Can you take this picture down? She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied journalism and public relations. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. Last Monday, August 23, students gathered at a school board meeting to express their support for Whitfield. When Lori Lewis learned that many players on her sons Colleyville Heritage football team were using steroids, she blew the whistle. COLLEYVILLE HERITAGE. Join us today so we can achieve that goal! Arent they illegal now? 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. The man, Stetson Clark, narrowly lost a school board race in May to the incumbent, Becky St. John. Heritage Elementary School 4500 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 Eagle 1991 507 Bransford Elementary School 601 Glade Road . (817) 305-4700. Its even tough to find a yardman in town. 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. On July 31, Whitfield responded to the claims in a lengthy Facebook post. But you figure theres a problem at the school, you call the school. In a July 31 post on his personal Facebook page, Whitfield responded: "I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. Whatever. James Whitfield chose to resign from his position as principal of Colleyville Heritage High School and the school board unanimously accepted on Monday. A high school principal in Colleyville says his bosses ordered him to remove a photo of him embracing his wife from social media. No, she said. The driver said he was friends with one of the players who used steroids. She knew he didnt mean that literally more than half the Colleyville football team was on steroids. Can you hide it?' He took notes: Most Football Team taking SteroidsSon Played last yearCoach CunninghamSon Plays [blacked out]*Anomysly*. I knew it as soon as I finished the story. McClure said no school officials have been implicated in the matter. Its why she doesnt let me talk to, or even see, her husband and younger daughter. A few parents blamed Lewis for making this an issue. The reporters worked other sources. I just wish everyone else would.. 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. 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. She opened it wide and turned it to the light. He says that many of the football players at Colleyville were introduced to steroids by someone from a nearby rival. Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas hosted controversial event. It was at this moment that I knew the attack that we currently endure, was coming, the principal wrote on Facebook. By midweek, Bryan couldnt take the whispers and the barely contained seething of the football players. Lewis jumped in her car and raced the two miles to CHHS. GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Dozens of students and parents rallied outside Grapevine-Colleyville ISD's school board meeting Monday night, August 23, to show support for Colleyville. As Lewis recalls, Beal said, Ive talked to Coach Cunningham, and he says its not true. People know each other. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD may decide his fate by Monday. We need to make sure we're providing a healthy environment for all of them. She didnt take long to make her decision: Bring it on.. Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond. This year Colleyville Heritage High School found only 19 girls out of a school of 2,400 students good enough for their cheerleading squad. In Colleyville, there are four places where kids usually hang out after dark: Whataburger, Taco Bell, Sonic, and Wendys. Not Bryans. 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. "His diversity efforts have just been amazing," said student Samantha Zelling, who took part in Friday's march and protest. "When a social media concern is brought to the attention of the district, we have a responsibility to review it. 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. One of those parents complained. CHHS has several sub-administrators who are given students to oversee based on last name. 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. It was early afternoon on Wednesday, September 22, and the Colleyville mother, after putting away the jeans, noticed a black leather bag. They shouldnt be filing stupid lawsuits. 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. [2] Colleyville Heritage High School celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006. They said, Could you take it down? 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A few days later, he dialed the players cell phone to arrange delivery, reaching him in an SAT preparation class.. Lewis was stunned. We hid the photo, no one from above ever mentioned anything else about it, but the damage was inflicted on us in profound ways. And during the second special session, lawmakers successfully passed Senate Bill 3, a more restrictive version of the House bill that will replace HB 3979 on Dec. 2. Over time, Bryan began to trust them and open up. The coaches had told him to get bigger and stronger if he wanted to earn a starting position, he said. His friend stopped him. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Meanwhile, a petition in support of Whitfield has garnered hundreds of signatures, and he said hes humbled for all the support hes received. We just have to lay low, she said. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. It ate at her. NO NAMES. Hes been up at his schools weight room with other athletes, cleaning the mats, spray-painting the weights, putting the gym junk away. 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. 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. 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. Colleyville Heritage High School 5401 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 P: (817) 305-4700 F: (817) 358-4765 E: chhs.info@gcisd.net Quick Facts Year Opened: 1996 Grades: 9th - 12th Enrollment: 1,984 Mascot: Panthers Principal: Julia Stephen Other Important Information/Procedures Hours First Bell: 8:40 a.m. School Ends: 4:00 p.m. 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. First, she noticed the syringes. Sort of. Get out of the car, Dyer, he said. They were changed to Patrick and Michelle. Instead, a car slowly inched into the space next to him. 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.. Only one. She knew the pettiness would get worse once she filed the lawsuit. How did you get the syringes? They werent too happy with me, she says. A new study says yes. James Whitfield, principal of. Read more about CRT here. 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. Not one single day.. It would be my hope finally someone listens to the students because ultimately that's who we're here to serve. Only 22,000 people live in Colleyville. I'm ready to turn that next page, Whitfield told The Texas Tribune on Wednesday. Some parents learned about the photo incident when they read Whitfields account on Facebook. They were identified merely as the athlete and his mother.. To the kids, it wasnt just about making coaches happy. That they will no longer give into that culture of forcing to assimilate and being ashamed of their identity," said student Sunehra Cowdhury. 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. 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. She expected to hear from him in a week or so. Thinks he will. 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. Good Lord, Lewis thought. Cunningham wants to know, Why now? Do you value our journalism? Hes just got to get a little faster, a little bigger, a little stronger. 5401 Heritage Ave, Colleyville, Texas | (817) 305-4700. That Friday after the story had come out, near midnight, Bryan got a call on his cell phone. I think it's silly, I can't see why a husband and wife can't have a picture of them in a sweet moment.". It was time to do something about her own reputationand those of future whistle-blowers. Media pundits like Hansen say she should shut up and let it be. 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. Hate and #racism will not rule the day. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Turner: TEA is giving Houston ISD two optionsclose school or be taken over, Two ocelots were photographed crossing a road in rare South Texas sighting, Houston Rockets poised to reap benefits from Eric Gordon trade, Willie Nelson's new album is a lovely tribute to a fellow country legend, Hiker captures 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo of wildlife at Brazos Bend State Park, Why Johnson City in Texas Hill Country is the new, cooler Fredericksburg. On the bus, she read, careful not to catch anyones eye. 972-983-4822 cell. And while her son was fighting his battles, Lewis was fighting hers. Colleyville Heritage High School Unclaimed. 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, Colleyville Heritage principal accused of teaching critical race theory put on paid leave, the principal and a crowd of supporters attended a school board meeting, multiple sources in the district have said, an incident in which a school administrator asked Whitfield to remove a photo of him and his wife, who is white, After call for his firing, Colleyville Heritage principal speaks about critical race theory claims, 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. Contact info. Her discovery. I do miss some of my friends from Heritage, he says. At least hes not a drug addict, she thought. It had absolutely nothing to do with race. Thats what everybody should be doing. Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. He decided in the summer to concentrate on baseball. 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? She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Dallas College. Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. In May 2018, Dr. Ryan was named the 2018 Region XI Superintendent of the Year. The story was long, one of several the Morning News would run that week concerning steroid use. Nov. 10, 20215 PM Central. 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. When Bryan got inside, Lewis pointed the bottle at him. 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. Judges rejected so many of the girls that they did not have enough cheerleaders for a junior varsity squad this year. The weekend before the series was to run, a fax came to the Morning News. COLLEYVILLE - Nine Colleyville Heritage High School students involved in football and other athletics have admitted to using steroids, district officials said Friday. Summarizing his defense, he finally blurted, Mom, the majority of the football team is taking them.. Live. Its been a roller coaster for him, she says. Oh, yeah, some of them are still doing it, Bryan says. GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A high school principal at the center of a controversy in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is now on administrative leave. 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. 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. Faking it wasnt easy. Told that, McClure said she was certain the information had been passed on to the Colleyville department. Lewis hung up. 5401 Heritage Avenue, Colleyville, TX 76034. 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. She laughs about it more than she complains. "They said, 'Could you take it down? On February 4, the Morning News dropped that bombshell and used quotes and information from their interviews with Lewis and Bryan. Wed have to move if our names came out, she said.. I just want to get on with my life. 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 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. 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. From the moment I called the school, I didnt want him involved. Theyd made a mistake, she says. Football players were calling him Patrick. Conversations stopped when he arrived. But the moms wouldnt tell the other moms about it, because they want their kid to have an edge. 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. She said it to calm her son. The next day, Lewis picked up her Sunday Morning News and boarded a chartered bus to Austin for a sales meeting. "But if it's not CRT for this group, it will be something else.". 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 She was the founding editor of the websites PureWow Dallas and Racked Dallas. 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.. . School would be out soon. Too many of them are, but this one certainly is. 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. Jones and Jacobson talked to others in Colleyville who were suspected users, and all denied it. Whitfield's status with Colleyville Heritage High School is expected to be decided at a Monday school board meeting. 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. Focusing on unique things school districts are doing to help children succeed. He knewfrom friends, from weight-room whispers, from his own two eyesthat many of the starters were accomplishing just that task with injected aid. 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. And it has nearly ruined their lives. 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. This was so she could direct Lewis to the appropriate vice principal. 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. Its pretty simple. McClure said school officials held meetings and questioned students, but nobody admitted to using the muscle-building substances. "What he's done is said listen, we teach lots of different types of kids. When Ted Beal answered his phone that morning, September 23, the nightmare began for the CHHS administration. He just wants to enjoy his senior year, and I want to do everything I can to help him., But, she says, she believes she has a mission. 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! He said he agreed to take some of the photos down. Lawmakers eventually passed House Bill 3979, which restricts how teachers can discuss current events, encourage civic engagement and teach about Americas history of racism. Who knew? During the following months, the reporters put together their package of stories. Lewis pulled him out of CHHS and would soon enroll him in a nearby private school. It has 1,879 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. There were four teenagers inside, two in the front seat, two in back. The Tarrant County Narcotics Unit, now working the steroids investigation, told Lewis that her first call should have been to them months ago. I can control my kids, one parent said to her during the meeting. Colleyville Heritage High School is a top rated, public school located in COLLEYVILLE, TX. Submission Deadline: 11/4/22. 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 . / CBS Texas, UPDATE: Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Releases New Statement On Decision To Put Principal James Whitfield On Paid Administrative Leave. She couldnt even get her grass cut? 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. Jones and Jacobson, sick that theyd inadvertently revealed Bryans identity, suggested that the papers lawyers could convince the school district to pay for Bryans tuition. But the reporters needed something else. His resignation wont be official until Aug. 15, 2023. 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. 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. "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. Lewis decided that she had an obligation to inform the school. 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.
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