972-983-4822 cell. The students created a fake wall with the. According to their story, Cunningham went on a 15-minute rant and blamed the then-unidentified mother for creating this problem. 5401 Heritage Avenue, Colleyville, TX 76034 . In hindsight, of course I should have just called them. Its been a roller coaster for him, she says. "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. On February 4, the Morning News dropped that bombshell and used quotes and information from their interviews with Lewis and Bryan. The students named an adult with no ties to the school as the source of the substances. I showed it to my wife, who immediately begins to well up with tears," he said. He knew where he was: at a party one block over. Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. CHHS PTSA Reflections Chair. Lewis didnt want to confront Bryan in front of his friends. She makes mention of that one time someone said or did something to her daughter relating to the steroids backlash, but when I ask about it, she says she wont talk about 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. I do miss some of my friends from Heritage, he 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. 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. 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 knows its just because she loves him, but, damn, so many other kids get away with telling white lies, staying out late. Instead of issuing their support of me, they came after me, he said. 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.". Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield has faced sharp criticism from some parents who are accusing him of teaching critical race theory. Why would he use steroids? 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 . This story has been shared 117,245 times. 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. At a board meeting a few weeks before last weeks, the parent group accused Whitfield by name which is against school board meeting rules. How long did you do it? It read nandrolone decanoate.. Not Lewis. Submission Deadline: 11/4/22. Read more about CRT here. The University Interscholastic League, which sets rules for competition in Texas high school sports, has no policy on steroids. Lori Lewis carried a pair of her sons jeans into his closet. . THEATRE DEPARTMENT. Summarizing his defense, he finally blurted, Mom, the majority of the football team is taking them.. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some in the district have accused him of implementing critical race theory in the classroom. The video was shot off campus and not during normal school hours.. 5401 Heritage Avenue, Colleyville, TX 76034. 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. Note! 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. 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. Going forward, Whitfield believes his work in education isnt done. Can you believe those boys using steroids? one asked. Youget home! she told him. (CHHS officials declined to speak with D Magazine.) Whitfield's wife Kerrie said she took the photo to mean a black man with a tattoo on his arm was inappropriate. "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. 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. She knew he didnt mean that literally more than half the Colleyville football team was on steroids. She expected to hear from him in a week or so. Is Whataburger healthy? 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. 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. We just have to lay low, she said. He wants to play wide receiver. She called a reporter at the weekly Colleyville Courier and told him her story. SOUTHLAKE, Texas - Carroll ISD is punishing some students for an offensive video that shows a group of teens chanting the n-word. Check to be sure that email from abi@luhsd.net will come through. "When a social media concern is brought to the attention of the district, we have a responsibility to review it. It was supposed to be a celebration for Whitfield, who had just been named principal of Colleyville Heritage Middle School two years ago, and his family. Thank you for spreading love! Lewis is suing because Cunningham told the Morning News she was a liar and a crazy mom. Students were dismissed about an hour late Tuesday, the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District tweeted. Ive counted. 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?' I guess they dont care.. My mom catches me at everything, Bryan says. 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. 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. 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. Im gonna kick your ass.. Ive only chosen to speak out against baseless allegations after [the district] allowed a man to speak my name at the July 26 board meeting, he said. The 18-year-old, who is not a student, and two juvenile students were located inside the school, police said. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. "The vast majority of people in that community, they know who I am. 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. Well, I had an interesting day, he told his mother by phone that night. 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. "They did not feel there was a problem that we needed to look into," Rogers said. 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 One of those parents complained about the photo and the district ordered Whitfield to take it down. It was a football player. "I chalk it up to educators are held to a different standard, unfortunately. Tickets for cancelled shows will be honored at these performances. But the reporters needed something else. But as Lewis read it, she found something horrible. He said the district wouldn't tell him why. 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. She knew the pettiness would get worse once she filed the lawsuit. Welcome to the Colleyville Heritage PTSA Facebook Page intended to keep our parents, teachers, and students current on upcoming events and opportunities CHHS PTA is a noncommercial, nonsectarian, nonpartisan association that does not endorse any candidate or political party. The coaches had told him to get bigger and stronger if he wanted to earn a starting position, he said. People leave me alone. RANKINGS star-telegram.com/article2703187 #txhssoccer It was the sort of breakthrough that could take a pointy-headed newspaper treatise and make it touch people, win awards, effect change. She said it to calm her son. Colleyville Heritage High School (CHHS) is a public secondary school in Colleyville, Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Over time, Bryan began to trust them and open up. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Lesli Ware. A few parents blamed Lewis for making this an issue. "Our lawyers are looking at it," she said. We understand that members of our community have questions, but the District does not resolve personnel matters in the media. James Whitfield at his home in Hurst on Sept. 16. With some of her neighbors not talking to her, she decided to take the next step. To the kids, it wasnt just about making coaches happy. ", Grapevine-Colleyville ISD issued the following statement Monday. Do you value our journalism? Bryan, afraid that someone inside had called the police, did the same. So I wouldnt feel comfortable mowing your lawn.. The decision. He came at him againObviously, Bryan says, this kid did not know how to fightand this time Bryans punch knocked him to the ground. When no one showed up, she called the owner to ask why. 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. He agreed not to name the family members. The answer, anabolic steroids, provided a bit of relief. "The only mention we make is a warning on health effects on our Web site," she said. The high school has about 2,000 students in ninth through 12th grades. I love them, they love me," Whitfield said in an interview with WFAA's Jason Whitely on the same day the students walked out of school to support him. 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. From the moment I called the school, I didnt want him involved. She says she never used the word condone, and her demeanor in all those phone calls was completely appropriate. Unfortunately, it didnt work out that way.. 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 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. The one who could name Bryan. Never missed one, she says proudly. 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 marched into his mothers room and paced in front of her. It had absolutely nothing to do with race. I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. 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. The driver said he was friends with one of the players who used steroids. Oh, that. 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.. As she waited, she overheard customers gabbing. [2] Colleyville Heritage High School celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006. A new study says yes. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD may decide his fate by Monday. Not their real names, of course. Feeder schools for Colleyville Heritage High School: Elementary: Her discovery. Some parents learned about the photo incident when they read Whitfields account on Facebook. 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. Catherine writes about breaking news, crime and the Dallas Zoo. He's a happily married man. 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. Thats it? Her son, a junior at Colleyville Heritage High School, had several such travel bags in his closet, but the others were all pressed flat, unused. McClure said school officials held meetings and questioned students, but nobody admitted to using the muscle-building substances. Then, two weeks later, Bryan left a movie theater on a weekend night. 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. Theres no reason for me to take this photo down,' he told KXAS. It has 1,879 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. Earlier this week, Abbott asked the Texas Education Agency, along with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the State Board of Education, to develop statewide standards preventing "obscene content in Texas public schools.". The Tarrant County Narcotics Unit, now working the steroids investigation, told Lewis that her first call should have been to them months ago. 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. "What he's done is said listen, we teach lots of different types of kids.