Proponents also believe race is culturally invented, not biological. When the kids get to middle school, a lot of them go to sports camps in the summer to improve. Cunningham has apologized and said it was wrong to say the things he did, but I think anybody would have reacted the same way. Theyre open late, they have cheap food, and theyre close by. "Our lawyers are looking at it," she said. 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. Cunningham wants to know, Why now? Thinks he will. I dont think that was crazy.. No real names, anyway. Sitting at her computer in her Mid Cities work cubicle, Lewis felt disheartened as she read the story. Eric Celeste is the editor at Spirit, the inflight magazine of Southwest Airlines. It was also about keeping up with bitter enemies from Southlake Carroll, Grapevine, Keller, all the schools on the schedule. Her discovery. He marched into his mothers room and paced in front of her. Some in the district have accused him of implementing critical race theory in the classroom. "As this is an ongoing personnel matter, we will not comment further. I know he is. Hes been up at his schools weight room with other athletes, cleaning the mats, spray-painting the weights, putting the gym junk away. On the front page blared her sons story: Colleyville player says pressure to improve prompted steroid use.. Colleyville Heritage High School is a public high school of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District located in Colleyville, TX. From the moment I called the school, I didnt want him involved. 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 -. As she waited, she overheard customers gabbing. Some of the photos the district received contained poses that are questionable for an educator, especially a principal or administrator. Aug. 31The Colleyville Heritage High School principal who was put on paid administrative leave after he was placed at the center of a critical race theory debate said he has been given no . The 18-year-old was arrested on charges of trespassing on school grounds and having a weapon in a place where its prohibited. In hindsight, of course I should have just called them. Anybody really believe that? He is rubbing his hands while he talks, trying to get the grime off his fingers. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD may decide his fate by Monday. Meanwhile, a petition in support of Whitfield has garnered hundreds of signatures, and he said hes humbled for all the support hes received. But that one sentence stuck with Lewis. The driver came after him. He said he agreed to take some of the photos down. Do you value our journalism? 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. By Hannah Natanson Photos and. "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. "We don't know what report they're talking about," she said. 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. Ive counted. Here is a look at the Top 3 girls teams in Class 5A. 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.. 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. They were changed to Patrick and Michelle. None of the individuals had weapons on them, but a handgun was found in one of the students cars, police said. Other people in the audience shouted in support and cheered when Clark made his remarks. 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. He's a happily married man. He will step down as principal at Colleyville Heritage High School and remain on paid leave until 2023. first accused of teaching critical race theory during a Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District school board meeting. But the moms wouldnt tell the other moms about it, because they want their kid to have an edge. But as Lewis read it, she found something horrible. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. "His diversity efforts have just been amazing," said student Samantha Zelling, who took part in Friday's march and protest. "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.'". Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. EVEN THOUGH LEWIS HAD PULLED BRYAN out of school, he was still getting hassled. Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. Its a stupid lawsuit. Not Lewis. 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. The students named an adult with no ties to the school as the source of the substances. Lewis wanted to get up and walk out, but she stayed put, stayed silent. Lesli Ware. (Cunningham says that at the time of the remarks, he didnt know Lewis identity, and he has since apologized.) 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. His decision. That evening, she obsessed about its implication. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands. Besides, she said. He decided in the summer to concentrate on baseball. But other than that, its great. We have established procedures for that which we are following.". Whats wrong with the picture? It was, Hey, I am trying to avoid any conflict, he told the station. 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. 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.. Told that, McClure said she was certain the information had been passed on to the Colleyville department. Beal said she was not cooperating. This story has been shared 117,245 times. In the ensuing days, Whitfield found himself at the center of the debate over how race is taught in Texas schools. 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. 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. He knewfrom friends, from weight-room whispers, from his own two eyesthat many of the starters were accomplishing just that task with injected aid. 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. Shows are now Feb. 3 (Fri.), 4 (Sat. 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. 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. He took notes: Most Football Team taking SteroidsSon Played last yearCoach CunninghamSon Plays [blacked out]*Anomysly*. On their cardboard, handmade wall, they wrote: 'Paid for by . No one from the school called her. 562. She hurried downstairs and called the pharmacy at the nearby Walgreens. 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. reflections@chhsptsa.org. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied journalism and public relations. Dallas Cowboys want another playmaker on offense. What did you expect him to say? The coaches had told him to get bigger and stronger if he wanted to earn a starting position, he said. 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. First published on August 30, 2021 / 5:42 PM. 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. That they are able to hear and see the students. I just want to know, Why? 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. Bryan is used to getting in trouble with his mom. GreatSchools Rating 5 reviews Awards Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. Everyone would forget about it soon enough. 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. When no one showed up, she called the owner to ask why. On the bus, she read, careful not to catch anyones eye. Hey, you little pussy, he said. 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. She knew the pettiness would get worse once she filed the lawsuit. Example video title will go here for this video. By now, she had revealed her identity in subsequent newspaper stories. Whitfield's status with Colleyville Heritage High School is expected to be decided at a Monday school board meeting. She called a reporter at the weekly Colleyville Courier and told him her story. Not one day has gone by that I havent had to deal with this or talk about it to someone. 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. "When a social media concern is brought to the attention of the district, we have a responsibility to review it. "I think it's sweet. Critical race theory is a way of thinking about Americas history through the lens of racism. 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. She went to sleep thinking it was the right thing to do. No big deal, Bryan thought. But James Whitfield said he took it to mean the issue was he was in an interracial relationship. District: Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (ISD) SchoolDigger Rank: 370th of 1,876 Texas High Schools. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. ON FEBRUARY 12, A SATURDAY, LEWIS WALKED into a salon to have her hair done. # 1,954 in National Rankings. Some parents learned about the photo incident when they read Whitfields account on Facebook. Then she reached inside and took hold of the vial. Contact info. Compare Colleyville Heritage High School to Other Schools gcisd-k12.org By about 6 p.m., all students had been dismissed and all buses had left the campus, according to the school district. 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. and I asked, 'Why? Arent they illegal now? Rogers said the organization surveyed districts across the state in fall 2002 and asked whether they saw a need for rules on steroids or a program of steroid testing. It was a football player. Its why she doesnt let me talk to, or even see, her husband and younger daughter. 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. An 18-year-old man and a juvenile student are facing criminal charges after a handgun was found inside a students car at Colleyville Heritage High School on Tuesday. 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. Over time, Bryan began to trust them and open up. 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. Jones and Jacobson talked to others in Colleyville who were suspected users, and all denied it. Last Monday, August 23, students gathered at a school board meeting to express their support for Whitfield. Kids had easy access to steroids, athletes were using them, and high school administrators were in denial. Beal asked her to come into the school for a talk. 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. Hes a happily married man. GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A high school principal at the center of a controversy in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is now on administrative leave. Lewis begged him to calm down. 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! Dallas, Texas 75201. First, she noticed the syringes. 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. Whitfield's wife Kerrie said she took the photo to mean a black man with a tattoo on his arm was inappropriate. "They're here to show their voice. He rolled it down. (Everyone already knew, she says.) 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'm ready to turn that next page, Whitfield told The Texas Tribune on Wednesday. Dave Denning, a former Grapevine High School principal, will serve as interim leader of the campus, Ryan said. 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. Nine CHHS players have admitted to using steroids. 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.. 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. Admitted it months earlier, not long after the journalists had interviewed Coach Cunningham. For questions, to submit digital entries or to coordinate pickup of entries, please contact: Kacey Bess. In a town like Colleyville, you cant tell anyone a secret you want kept. Alphabet L - Z. lesli.ware@gcisd.net. "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 driver, the stockiest of the bunch, rapped on Bryans window. Aria writes about breaking news. She knew it would have to be this way. 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 . They are: 1. They had pieced together a clear picture of a serious problem. 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. Its been a roller coaster for him, she says. Dr. James Whitfield has been on administrative leave since late August. 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 It didnt take long for more questions to come. The coach, Chris Cunningham, denied the accusations in reports published at the time and said he was adamantly against steroids. Its pretty simple. 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. I am grateful for your partnership and look forward to working with you to serve and support the students of Colleyville Heritage High School.. The high school has about 2,000 students in ninth through 12th grades. 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. Not Bryans. I have done nothing wrong by anyone, Whitfield said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. ", Grapevine-Colleyville ISD issued the following statement Monday. Colleyville Heritage High School 5401 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 P 817-305-4700 F 817-358-4765 Overall Score 89.05 /100. 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 hopes he starts, he says. All students and staff are safe, the school . In Colleyville, there are four places where kids usually hang out after dark: Whataburger, Taco Bell, Sonic, and Wendys. School would be out soon. Colleyville Heritage High School. Lewis hung up. Colleyville Heritage High School Unclaimed. Read more about CRT here. 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. 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). The Tarrant County Narcotics Unit, now working the steroids investigation, told Lewis that her first call should have been to them months ago. An 18-year-old man and a juvenile student are facing criminal charges after a handgun was found inside a student's car at Colleyville Heritage High School on Tuesday. Hes on his third cycle.. He wants to play wide receiver. 8:06 PM on Aug 30, 2021 CDT Updated at 1:21 PM on Sep 1, 2021 CDT. 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. 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. ", "Nothing he's done has anything to do with critical race theory," said civil rights attorney David Henderson ofEllwanger Law, which is supporting Whitfield. It read nandrolone decanoate.. 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. Good Lord, Lewis thought. It had absolutely nothing to do with race. Lewis decided that she had an obligation to inform the school. Not one single day.. And the News reporters agreed that they wouldnt identify any of the other students who Bryan knew or suspected used steroids. One of the students was detained on a charge of having a weapon in a place where its prohibited, police said. But if were really concerned about reputations here, whose reputation has been damaged more?