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Whitfield, who was named principal of Colleyville Heritage High School ahead of the 2020-21 school year, has been accused online and in board meetings of teaching critical race theory and promoting a belief that white people are inherently racist. (817) 305-4700. Oh, no. Dr. James Whitfield has been promoted several times in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD system. 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. Attendance Clerk. She expected to hear from him in a week or so. Some in the district have accused him of implementing critical race theory in the classroom. You heard that story earlier tonight. 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. Bryan had to lie, even to friends who sidled up to him in private and asked if he was the one. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. It was time to do something about her own reputationand those of future whistle-blowers. Im going to fight him.. "But if it's not CRT for this group, it will be something else.". It was at this moment that I knew the attack that we currently endure, was coming, the principal wrote on Facebook. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Woman in viral pizza rant now facing ethnic harassment charges, Murdaugh Judge Clifton Newman: From segregated schools to the best we want in our jurists, NYC DOE probing anti-white texts linked to black superintendent, Black children attack, force white kids to say Black Lives Matter at Ohio school: video. Aria writes about breaking news. Its a stupid lawsuit. CNN A high school principal in North Texas who was placed on leave after being publicly accused of promoting critical race theory has agreed to leave his role. The high school has been categorized as one of the top 100 high schools in the United States of America by the Newsweek magazine's Challenge Index. How long did you do it? Im gonna beat your ass.. I guess they dont care.. No big deal, Bryan thought. He received a disciplinary letter from the district a few weeks later and was placed on administrative leave soon after that. The weekend before the series was to run, a fax came to the Morning News. District: Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (ISD) SchoolDigger Rank: 370th of 1,876 Texas High Schools. 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. She says she never used the word condone, and her demeanor in all those phone calls was completely appropriate. ", "Nothing he's done has anything to do with critical race theory," said civil rights attorney David Henderson ofEllwanger Law, which is supporting Whitfield. The Tarrant County Narcotics Unit, now working the steroids investigation, told Lewis that her first call should have been to them months ago. Only one. A weighted scale means additional GPA points are assigned to courses with greater rigor. ON FEBRUARY 12, A SATURDAY, LEWIS WALKED into a salon to have her hair done. Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,925. SOUTHLAKE, Texas - Carroll ISD is punishing some students for an offensive video that shows a group of teens chanting the n-word. ", Grapevine-Colleyville ISD issued the following statement Monday. Students at Colleyville Heritage High took the theme and ran with it in a Donald Trump-esqe direction before a game against Trinity High in Euless. When Lori Lewis learned that many players on her sons Colleyville Heritage football team were using steroids, she blew the whistle. Later, they showed Bryan the list. 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. We remain committed to providing a learning environment that fosters and encourages student academic and extracurricular achievement, Ryan wrote. Three of his best friends have transferred to it in the past few years, so he has his core group of buddies together. 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. 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.". One of those parents complained. 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. Hey, you little pussy, he said. And even if the answer was all of them, how many had gone to Kroger and said she needed them for a horse? For weeks, kids buzzed about who they thought might be the anonymous athlete caught using steroids. "What he's done is said listen, we teach lots of different types of kids. They had the Courier article spread out, and several people were closely eyeing the photo accompanying the story. Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. 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. 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. The only other known instance in which a group of high school athletes admitted to steroid use was in Buckeye, Ariz., in fall 2003, according to the Associated Press. Instead of issuing their support of me, they came after me, he said. When Ted Beal answered his phone that morning, September 23, the nightmare began for the CHHS administration. Dave Denning, a former Grapevine High School principal, will serve as interim leader of the campus, Ryan said. First, she noticed the syringes. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid Scandal After finding steroids in her son's athletic bag in September of 2004, a Colleyville Heritage mom approached school administrators after. A new study says yes. Ranking weighted 4.0 GPA* (includes only Core, LOTE, and AP courses in GPA calculation), 2. No one from above ever mentioned anything else about it, but the damage was inflicted on us in profound ways, he wrote. 535. Not their real names, of course. At the first public hearing the school district held to discuss the issue, including spending money for more drug testing, not one parent showed up. The school went on lockdown when the incident was reported. Wednesday and Thursday shows are cancelled due to inclement weather. Colleyville is a Yuppie burb, sure, with a median home price of $335,000, but it is affluence packed on top of a former tiny farming community, a fine cloth draped over an old couch. 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. 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. 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? He is rubbing his hands while he talks, trying to get the grime off his fingers. Lewis hung up. One day in the lunchroom, Bryan walked up to a group of students gathered around a table. Dr. James Whitfield has been on administrative leave since late August. 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. At that moment, it didnt seem like an earth-shattering admission. 750 North St.Paul St. 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. When Bryan got inside, Lewis pointed the bottle at him. 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. So when Bryan pulled into the drive-thru and ordered, he wasnt surprised to see people he knew. 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. 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. 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. reflections@chhsptsa.org. Then, one evening the Courier reporter called Lewis and asked if he could pass along her phone number to two reporters with the Dallas Morning News who were working on a series of stories examining steroid use in high schools all across North Texas. 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. Students were dismissed about an hour late Tuesday, the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District tweeted. 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 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. Now, GOP lawmakers have turned their attention to what books children have access to in schools. Colleyville Heritage High School is the 235th largest public high school in Texas and the 1,266th largest nationally. 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. The one thing that bothers Lewis is how this has affected her family. August 30, 2021 / 5:42 PM Admitted it months earlier, not long after the journalists had interviewed Coach Cunningham. His resignation wont be official until Aug. 15, 2023. Hes a good kid. Where were you when you first injected them? Twitter Fam, Youve probably seen #IStandwithDrWhitfield coming across your timeline, wondering what on earth is going on. Not one single day.. It had absolutely nothing to do with race. 5401 Heritage Ave, Colleyville, Texas | (817) 305-4700. Well, Im a friend of Coach Cunninghams. Ive counted. They werent snitches. He said he agreed to take some of the photos down. 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. I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. One of the students was detained on a charge of having a weapon in a place where its prohibited, police said. He was asked to remove photos from Facebook taken on a beach vacation with is wife, that some felt were inappropriate. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands. Nor was the decision made in response to allegations Dr. Whitfield was teaching Critical Race Theory, or because of the photos on his social media account that were brought to the attention of the District in 2019. He sold her the needles.. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. She said that many other football players were using them, and her son told her that, because many players knew about it, the coaches either knew and didnt care or didnt want to know so they didnt ask how players had made sudden increases in strength and size. That evening, she obsessed about its implication. Maybe he wont tell anyone.Then she read paragraph 33, which detailed Patricks efforts to have a woman buy his needles so he wouldnt arouse suspicion: The cheerleader went to a nearby Kroger supermarket. Just over a month later, the district has suspended Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield without explanation, he told The Washington Post on Tuesday. Only a worried mom and a kid who felt he owed it to her to fess up, do the right thing, be a man. 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. Website. She said the issue comes up informally "every time a professional athlete makes headlines" for steroid use. She didnt feel proud that shed proven the school wrong. I know he is. GreatSchools Rating 5 reviews Awards Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials. 6 /10. In December, however, nine students involved in football and other unspecified sports came forward and said they used steroids last spring. Mom, they already know. No one from the school called her. . What's wrong with the picture?' Colleyville Heritage High School went on lockdown Tuesday afternoon, March 1. When he decided not to play (and when he noticed acne on his back during the family vacation in Florida), he stopped. The Colleyville kids rarely venture far from home. Whitfield's wife Kerrie said she took the photo to mean a black man with a tattoo on his arm was inappropriate. According to state test scores, 55% of students are at least proficient in math and 77% in reading. 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). Colleyville Heritage High School. Theyre mad at my mom because shes messing with that.. 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. 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. But the moms wouldnt tell the other moms about it, because they want their kid to have an edge. Lewis asked that Beal call her back when his investigation was finished. Lt. Gov. Skater punks, Bryan would call them. It read nandrolone decanoate.. 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. 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. He said the district wouldn't tell him why. Heritage Elementary School 4500 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 Eagle 1991 507 Bransford Elementary School 601 Glade Road . James Whitfield, 43, principal at Colleyville Heritage High School, has been placed on leave by the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD after being accused of teaching critical race theory at his. That they will no longer give into that culture of forcing to assimilate and being ashamed of their identity," said student Sunehra Cowdhury. The 18-year-old, who is not a student, and two juvenile students were located inside the school, police said. 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. Hes been up at his schools weight room with other athletes, cleaning the mats, spray-painting the weights, putting the gym junk away. Dallas, Texas 75201. "The vast majority of people in that community, they know who I am. 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. Over time, Bryan began to trust them and open up. Lewis repeated that shed told him everything she knew. Instead, a car slowly inched into the space next to him. 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! 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. Beal asked her to come into the school for a talk. Hes not happy that Im still talking to the media. First published on August 30, 2021 / 5:42 PM. Who is available? To the kids, it wasnt just about making coaches happy. Show us with your support. Like most teens, he acts blas, even when talking about how much he cant wait for college so I can get away from this town, all the crap thats gone on., Not that hes obsessing about it, either, he says. We just have to lay low, she said. Note! Greg Abbott has called for it to be abolished in Texas schools. This PTA does not endorse n See more 636 people like this Well, I had an interesting day, he told his mother by phone that night. The misspelled word had two arrows drawn toward it for emphasis. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield has faced sharp criticism from some parents who are accusing him of teaching critical race theory. RANKINGS star-telegram.com/article2703187 #txhssoccer In June, Lewis scheduled to have her lawn mowed by a Mid Cities fireman who runs a small lawn-care company. Its pretty simple. [2] Colleyville Heritage High School celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006. 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. But you figure theres a problem at the school, you call the school. 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 "I chalk it up to educators are held to a different standard, unfortunately. Thank you for spreading love! Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Even though it was approved by the district, the presentation was used to vilify my colleagues and me, he wrote. Theyre open late, they have cheap food, and theyre close by. They know.. Its even tough to find a yardman in town. 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?' Whatever. The coach, Chris Cunningham, denied the accusations in reports published at the time and said he was adamantly against steroids. COLLEYVILLE HERITAGE. It was also about keeping up with bitter enemies from Southlake Carroll, Grapevine, Keller, all the schools on the schedule. Our membership goal is 1 voice for every student! Cunningham wants to know, Why now? People leave me alone. I showed it to my wife, who immediately begins to well up with tears," he said. Lewis didnt want to confront Bryan in front of his friends. In early August, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD placed Whitfield on administrative leave. THOSE WERE THE GROUND RULES, never in question, always understood. All students and staff are safe, the school . 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. That they are able to hear and see the students. Because the use took place away from school and in the off-season, when it was not related to a school activity, it is unclear whether any school policies have been violated, McClure said. They asked Bryan to relive every detail. His decision. The foursome scrambled back into their car and took off. Can you take this picture down? So I wouldnt feel comfortable mowing your lawn.. She checked the time. That person was reported to the Colleyville police, she said. The parents shes known since Bryan played tee ball with their kids a dozen years ago ignore her. 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. The one who could name Bryan. In a July 31 post on his personal Facebook page, Whitfield responded: "I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. I just want to get on with my life. I think its sweet. Sports means everything to folks here, Bryan says. 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 . 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. Lewis said she didnt want the schools help. He says that many of the football players at Colleyville were introduced to steroids by someone from a nearby rival. Officers were called around . Nov. 10, 20215 PM Central. He loves his new school. The story said one boy admitted to using them. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. 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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. He had a Grapevine High School sticker on his car, so he didnt go to Heritage. He wrote on Facebook that he could not ask others to speak up if he wont and just because I am a school administrator that does not take away my rights and ability to be human and defend myself.. 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. James Whitfield, the first Black principal at mostly white Colleyville Heritage High School, chose to resign but remain on paid administrative leave until 2023 in a settlement with the school district. 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. He knows its just because she loves him, but, damn, so many other kids get away with telling white lies, staying out late. Officers were called around 3:20 p.m. to the campus in the 5400 block of Heritage Avenue about a man with a gun. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? By midweek, Bryan couldnt take the whispers and the barely contained seething of the football players. COLLEYVILLE, Texas The embattled principal of Colleyville Heritage High School is expected to learn his employment fate this coming Monday. Cunningham has apologized and said it was wrong to say the things he did, but I think anybody would have reacted the same way. The district told WFAA again Friday that the decision has nothing to do with critical race theory or allegations by a small group of parents. The tough drug-testing program that Grapevine-Colleyville has adopted. Beal said she was not cooperating. Dallas Cowboys want another playmaker on offense. 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. Whats wrong with the picture? It was, Hey, I am trying to avoid any conflict, he told the station. The photos were from an anniversary trip. 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.