Feb. 5, 2005. She was the founding editor of the websites PureWow Dallas and Racked Dallas. There were several long pauses, she says. He hung up. In hindsight, of course I should have just called them. ", "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's he and his beautiful wife, they have a beautiful family," said Sunni Roppollo, who has children at Colleyville Heritage High. 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Only 22,000 people live in Colleyville. GreatSchools Rating 5 reviews Awards Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. August 30, 2021 / 5:42 PM I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. Admitted it months earlier, not long after the journalists had interviewed Coach Cunningham. Lewis decided that she had an obligation to inform the school. Get out of the car, Dyer, he said. GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A high school principal at the center of a controversy in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is now on administrative leave. 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. McClure said school officials held meetings and questioned students, but nobody admitted to using the muscle-building substances. James Whitfield - Colleyville Heritage High Principal (CBS 11), Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Releases New Statement On Decision To Put Principal James Whitfield On Paid Administrative Leave. Bryan never had to wonder whether his mom was engaged, as Dr. Phil likes to say. I dont think that was crazy.. THE SECRETARY AT COLLEYVILLE HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL asked Lori Lewis for her sons last name. By Hannah Natanson Photos and. And the News reporters agreed that they wouldnt identify any of the other students who Bryan knew or suspected used steroids. CHHS is a big school, with more than 2,200 students and an operating budget of $136.5 million for the. We just have to lay low, she said. Is Whataburger healthy? Hes just got to get a little faster, a little bigger, a little stronger. 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. That Friday after the story had come out, near midnight, Bryan got a call on his cell phone. Lewis said she didnt want the schools help. 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 . I wonder who it was.. Weve always been close, but since this, its been tough. She was still at her sales conference. A mother raising a teenage boy who decided to use steroids like too many kids do, or a football coach who didnt know? 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.. 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. She hurried downstairs and called the pharmacy at the nearby Walgreens. Told that, McClure said she was certain the information had been passed on to the Colleyville department. The one who could name Bryan. But he doesnt like it., When her son talks, she stares at him intently, looking for signs that hes upset or angry. "It would be my hope that more rational minds prevail. Ive told you everything I know. In a town like Colleyville, you cant tell anyone a secret you want kept. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. McClure said no school officials have been implicated in the matter. Lewis is suing because Cunningham told the Morning News she was a liar and a crazy mom. Nearly a year later, she still believes this. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The school district announced Monday,. No one from the school called her. Anybody really believe that? 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,925. In Colleyville, there are four places where kids usually hang out after dark: Whataburger, Taco Bell, Sonic, and Wendys. (CHHS officials declined to speak with D Magazine.) The district told WFAA again Friday that the decision has nothing to. It was too quiet, she says. Hes a good kid. Bryan got out and starting jawing with him. When Lori Lewis learned that many players on her sons Colleyville Heritage football team were using steroids, she blew the whistle. Im going to fight him.. How many varsity football players got calls for drug deals in their SAT prep class this year? I wanted to protect him. 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. Where did you get them? Twitter Fam, Youve probably seen #IStandwithDrWhitfield coming across your timeline, wondering what on earth is going on. A wave of nausea swept through her. Dr. James Whitfield has been promoted several times in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD system. 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. 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. Judges rejected so many of the girls that they did not have enough cheerleaders for a junior varsity squad this year. The one thing that bothers Lewis is how this has affected her family. And while her son was fighting his battles, Lewis was fighting hers. Opposition to critical race theory has become a rallying cry for Texas Republican leaders, who claim its indoctrinating students and teaching white students that they are racist. 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 Colleyville kids rarely venture far from home. I'm ready to turn that next page, Whitfield told The Texas Tribune on Wednesday. Greg Abbott has called for it to be abolished in Texas schools. Whitfield's status with Colleyville Heritage High School is expected to be decided at a Monday school board meeting. That they will no longer give into that culture of forcing to assimilate and being ashamed of their identity," said student Sunehra Cowdhury. 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 . 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. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield opened up in a lengthy Facebook post on July 31 about the incident from 2019 shortly after he had been promoted to the top post at the middle school. 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. Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. 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. Suite 2100 Its bad enough they identified her as a cheerleader. Its a stupid lawsuit. For questions, to submit digital entries or to coordinate pickup of entries, please contact: Kacey Bess. Dude, I think thats your mom.. They had a problem and needed to know about it, for the kids safety. Later, they showed Bryan the list. But as Lewis read it, she found something horrible. I thought, Wow, that didnt work. All students and staff are safe, the school . GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A high school principal at the center of a controversy in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is now on administrative leave. 5401 Heritage Ave. Colleyville, TX 76034-5919. Other people in the audience shouted in support and cheered when Clark made his remarks. 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.. "We don't know what report they're talking about," she said. But they would not be more specific. Over time, Bryan began to trust them and open up. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield has faced sharp criticism from some parents who are accusing him of teaching critical race theory. Many in town obviously dont take the steroids problem seriously. It was the sort of breakthrough that could take a pointy-headed newspaper treatise and make it touch people, win awards, effect change. Example video title will go here for this video. I am grateful for your partnership and look forward to working with you to serve and support the students of Colleyville Heritage High School.. Buy tickets online here. Theyre open late, they have cheap food, and theyre close by. 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. Join us today so we can achieve that goal! I showed it to my wife, who immediately begins to well up with tears," he said. It was early afternoon on Wednesday, September 22, and the Colleyville mother, after putting away the jeans, noticed a black leather bag. About 20 showed up to the second meeting. Then, two weeks later, Bryan left a movie theater on a weekend night. 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. Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to Grapevine-Colleyville . "As this is an ongoing personnel matter, we will not comment further. 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. She couldnt even get her grass cut? 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. Critical race theory is a way of thinking about Americas history through the lens of racism. But that one sentence stuck with Lewis. "When a social media concern is brought to the attention of the district, we have a responsibility to review it. 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. Since then, the district has stressed the move has nothing to do. No spam, ever. Thats what everybody should be doing. She knew the pettiness would get worse once she filed the lawsuit. 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. I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. He has served 35 years in education, all in Texas, including as principal of Colleyville Heritage High School from 2004 to 2006. There were four teenagers inside, two in the front seat, two in back. Can you take this picture down? That evening, she obsessed about its implication. Butbefore he could pop open the champagne his boss called and asked him to check his email. He mentions a senior. The reporters worked other sources. 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. Theres not a steroids problem on his team.. James Whitfield chose to resign from his position as principal of Colleyville Heritage High School and the school board unanimously accepted on Monday. Her discovery. One section on the report's website was called "Colleyville Heritage's team secret". ", "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. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD may decide his fate by Monday. 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. Instead, a car slowly inched into the space next to him. They are: 1. I just want to get on with my life. At a board meeting a few weeks before last weeks, the parent group accused Whitfield by name which is against school board meeting rules. You may need to show identification if this was not done at walk-thru. 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. Beal asked her to come into the school for a talk. The median household income tops $150,000. But the students at CHHS had obviously read the story. Im gonna kick your ass.. 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. But I didnt want any of this for Bryan, Lewis says. Can you hide it?' Colleyville Heritage High School (TX) Varsity Basketball Colleyville Heritage Panthers Varsity Boys Basketball Colleyville, TX 22-23 V. Basketball Home Schedule Roster Standings Rankings Photos Videos News More / Colleyville Heritage High School Basketball Colleyville Heritage Basketball OVERALL 22-10 0.69 Win % DISTRICT 9-5 4th in District Theres no reason for me to take this photo down,' he told KXAS. The driver, the stockiest of the bunch, rapped on Bryans window. Bryan understands, she says. 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. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. Lewis was dumbfounded. This year Colleyville Heritage High School found only 19 girls out of a school of 2,400 students good enough for their cheerleading squad. They needed more information. If my house was on fire, would you put it out? she asked. 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. Even though it was approved by the district, the presentation was used to vilify my colleagues and me, he wrote. On the front page blared her sons story: Colleyville player says pressure to improve prompted steroid use.. Not their real names, of course. He marched into his mothers room and paced in front of her. They said, Could you take it down? Colleyville Heritage High School is the 235th largest public high school in Texas and the 1,266th largest nationally. / CBS Texas, UPDATE: Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Releases New Statement On Decision To Put Principal James Whitfield On Paid Administrative Leave. "That show of love and support is a signal for me that in some form or fashion, I've made an impact in their lives and that's what I'm here to do," said Whitfield. Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas hosted controversial event. THEATRE DEPARTMENT. The story was long, one of several the Morning News would run that week concerning steroid use. Perhaps that would spur someone to investigate the problem more aggressively. I just wish everyone else would.. 5401 Heritage Avenue, Colleyville, TX 76034 . Live. What did you expect him to say? The students named an adult with no ties to the school as the source of the substances. At least hes not a drug addict, she thought. ", Grapevine-Colleyville ISD issued the following statement Monday. 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. 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. The agreement seemingly puts an end to Whitfields arduous battle with the school district that date backs to July 26, when he was first accused of teaching critical race theory during a Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District school board meeting by Stetson Clark, a former candidate for the district's school board. She called a reporter at the weekly Colleyville Courier and told him her story. 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. Lewis made it clear that they could not take her son out of class to talk to him. No, she said. He sounded drunk. A high school principal in Colleyville says his bosses ordered him to remove a photo of him embracing his wife from social media. Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. Officers were called around 3:20 p.m. to the campus in the 5400 block of Heritage Avenue about a man with a gun. 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 Hes been up at his schools weight room with other athletes, cleaning the mats, spray-painting the weights, putting the gym junk away. 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. Lt. Gov. I just want to know, Why? She told the pharmacist she needed to vaccinate a horse. What's wrong with the picture?' How many of them bought needles for players? Nine CHHS players have admitted to using steroids. 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.". Read more about CRT here. Cunningham wants to know, Why now? My friends are used to it. Lewis pulled him out of CHHS and would soon enroll him in a nearby private school. Jones and Jacobson talked to others in Colleyville who were suspected users, and all denied it. A new study says yes. All that stuff I could handle, and I do handle, she says. The students created a fake wall with the. 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. 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). In June, Lewis scheduled to have her lawn mowed by a Mid Cities fireman who runs a small lawn-care company. Summarizing his defense, he finally blurted, Mom, the majority of the football team is taking them.. Sitting at her computer in her Mid Cities work cubicle, Lewis felt disheartened as she read the story. The school became the focus of national attention during a 2005 steroid scandal involving multiple student-athletes. Contact info. They shouldnt be filing stupid lawsuits. Proponents also believe race is culturally invented, not biological. According to their story, Cunningham went on a 15-minute rant and blamed the then-unidentified mother for creating this problem. They had the Courier article spread out, and several people were closely eyeing the photo accompanying the story. Dave Denning, a former Grapevine High School principal, will serve as interim leader of the campus, Ryan said. Not one day has gone by that I havent had to deal with this or talk about it to someone. His decision. Lewis wanted to get up and walk out, but she stayed put, stayed silent. Some of the photos the district received contained poses that are questionable for an educator, especially a principal or administrator. 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. It was at this moment that I knew the attack that we currently endure, was coming, the principal wrote on Facebook. 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. We will not sit silently while these individuals continue their bigoted attacks. 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. Arent they illegal now? Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. But other than that, its great. Bryan is used to getting in trouble with his mom. Hes a happily married man. In December, however, nine students involved in football and other unspecified sports came forward and said they used steroids last spring. I guess they dont care.. Dallas, Texas 75201. There were also names. Lewis was convinced the tiny bottle held heroin, unaware that most illicit drugs are not sold with pharmaceutical labels. Ive counted. "The only mention we make is a warning on health effects on our Web site," she said. Aria writes about breaking news. No real names, anyway. First, she noticed the syringes. They werent snitches. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. Whitfield's wife Kerrie said she took the photo to mean a black man with a tattoo on his arm was inappropriate. It had absolutely nothing to do with race. Where were you when you first injected them? 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?' As the editorial note at the storys end explained, She and her son feared retaliation from other Colleyville athletes, coaches, and parents. Faking it wasnt easy. Were set to play more disadvantaged and diverse opponents Trinity. NO NAMES. 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. 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. Meanwhile, a petition in support of Whitfield has garnered hundreds of signatures, and he said hes humbled for all the support hes received. # 1,954 in National Rankings. It didnt take long for more questions to come. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? When Ted Beal answered his phone that morning, September 23, the nightmare began for the CHHS administration. She stared at the label, trying to concentrate as her heart rate spiked. That they are able to hear and see the students. He is rubbing his hands while he talks, trying to get the grime off his fingers. In the ensuing days, Whitfield found himself at the center of the debate over how race is taught in Texas schools. 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. The 18-year-old was arrested on charges of trespassing on school grounds and having a weapon in a place where its prohibited. Officers on the scene have "the individual involved detained.". As Lewis recalls, Beal said, Ive talked to Coach Cunningham, and he says its not true. People leave me alone. 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. 562. His friend stopped him. He talked quickly, stumbling over his words, trying to explain his reasoning. COLLEYVILLE, Texas The embattled principal of Colleyville Heritage High School is expected to learn his employment fate this coming Monday. From the moment I called the school, I didnt want him involved. Read more about this topic: Colleyville Heritage High School, Athletics Other articles related to "steroid controversy, steroid, steroids": 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. That was months ago. (Everyone already knew, she says.) Skater punks, Bryan would call them. Can you believe those boys using steroids? one asked. Hes not even playing football this year. Colleyville Heritage High School is a top rated, public school located in COLLEYVILLE, TX. I think its silly, I cant see why a husband and wife cant have a picture of them in a sweet moment, she said. ABSENCES. 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. The story said one boy admitted to using them. Its even tough to find a yardman in town. The coaches had told him to get bigger and stronger if he wanted to earn a starting position, he said. If a student must be absent from school a parent should call or email the school Attendance Office, the day of the absence, to report the student's name and the reason. 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. He loves his new school. She said it to calm her son. Bryan, afraid that someone inside had called the police, did the same. When the kids get to middle school, a lot of them go to sports camps in the summer to improve. Check to be sure that email from abi@luhsd.net will come through. Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond. But you figure theres a problem at the school, you call the school. Lewis told Beal she was left with no choice but to take her story to the media. Love will! School would be out soon. But the moms wouldnt tell the other moms about it, because they want their kid to have an edge.
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