This year Colleyville Heritage High School found only 19 girls out of a school of 2,400 students good enough for their cheerleading squad. 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. It had absolutely nothing to do with race. Critical race theory, or CRT, is an academic discipline usually taught at the university level. 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. Dude, I think thats your mom.. He decided in the summer to concentrate on baseball. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. reflections@chhsptsa.org. Lewis asked that Beal call her back when his investigation was finished. 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. Where were you when you first injected them? It was the right thing to do. McClure said no school officials have been implicated in the matter. Theres not a steroids problem on his team.. Cunningham wants to know, Why now? "The vast majority of people in that community, they know who I am. That was months ago. I showed it to my wife, who immediately begins to well up with tears," he said. Who is available? 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. It was also about keeping up with bitter enemies from Southlake Carroll, Grapevine, Keller, all the schools on the schedule. Some parents learned about the photo incident when they read Whitfields account on Facebook. 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. How did you get the syringes? / CBS Texas, UPDATE: Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Releases New Statement On Decision To Put Principal James Whitfield On Paid Administrative Leave. The student came forward only after his mother discovered a bag full of syringes and vials of liquids in his bedroom closet. # 1,954 in National Rankings. Oh, yeah, some of them are still doing it, Bryan says. Whitfield's status with Colleyville Heritage High School is expected to be decided at a Monday school board meeting. Lewis jumped in her car and raced the two miles to CHHS. With some of her neighbors not talking to her, she decided to take the next step. Ironically, it was the place where hed purchased his steroids. Example video title will go here for this video. She said the issue comes up informally "every time a professional athlete makes headlines" for steroid use. We hid the photo, no one from above ever mentioned anything else about it, but the damage was inflicted on us in profound ways. Bryan had to lie, even to friends who sidled up to him in private and asked if he was the one. 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. 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. My friends are used to it. Other people in the audience shouted in support and cheered when Clark made his remarks. In December, however, nine students involved in football and other unspecified sports came forward and said they used steroids last spring. No big deal, Bryan thought. The school is a part of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District and serves freshmen through senior students in Colleyville and the surrounding areas of Tarrant County. 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. Our membership goal is 1 voice for every student! The man, Stetson Clark, narrowly lost a school board race in May to the incumbent, Becky St. John. "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. He sold her the needles.. The schools denial. I think its sweet. 562. But if were really concerned about reputations here, whose reputation has been damaged more? The CHHS teacher who cornered her in the parking lot after the second public hearing and told her many teachers supported her but were afraid to speak out. Some in the district have accused him of implementing critical race theory in the classroom. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. 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. 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. She tries to focus on the things shes helped accomplish. They had a problem and needed to know about it, for the kids safety. Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. at 7pm. 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. THOSE WERE THE GROUND RULES, never in question, always understood. "It would be my hope that more rational minds prevail. "They said, 'Could you take it down? He hung up. 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.. 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. "We don't make rules unless we're asked by our member schools.". Overall Score 89.05 /100. The reporters worked other sources. That person was reported to the Colleyville police, she said. 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 Faking it wasnt easy. 5401 Heritage Ave. Colleyville, TX 76034-5919. Only one. The Colleyville kids rarely venture far from home. Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Mother and son had always been close, though. I dont think that was crazy.. It's something he and the district have denied. Show us with your support. Football players were calling him Patrick. Conversations stopped when he arrived. He had a Grapevine High School sticker on his car, so he didnt go to Heritage. A new study says yes. 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. Proponents also believe race is culturally invented, not biological. Beal asked her to come into the school for a talk. Are ticket costs pricing Houston Astros fans out of Opening Day? 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. Can you take this picture down? She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied journalism and public relations. That they will no longer give into that culture of forcing to assimilate and being ashamed of their identity," said student Sunehra Cowdhury. I wanted to protect him. How long did you do it? Where did you get them? And even if the answer was all of them, how many had gone to Kroger and said she needed them for a horse? 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. His decision. 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 . Attendance Clerk. 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. Wed have to move if our names came out, she said.. She was the founding editor of the websites PureWow Dallas and Racked Dallas. Can you take this picture down? Im gonna beat your ass.. Had it come to that? Wednesday and Thursday shows are cancelled due to inclement weather. Aria Jones, Breaking news reporter. A high school principal in Colleyville says his bosses ordered him to remove a photo of him embracing his wife from social media. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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.. In early August, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD placed Whitfield on administrative leave. I do miss some of my friends from Heritage, he says. But no names were used. 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. On the front page blared her sons story: Colleyville player says pressure to improve prompted steroid use.. 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 school district announced Monday, August 30, Colleyville Heritage High Principal Dr. James Whitfield was placed on paid administrative leave. Bryan, three inches taller, popped him in the face. The Tarrant County Narcotics Unit, now working the steroids investigation, told Lewis that her first call should have been to them months ago. It's he and his beautiful wife, they have a beautiful family," said Sunni Roppollo, who has children at Colleyville Heritage High. Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials. He was just letting her know that he wasnt alone. For weeks, kids buzzed about who they thought might be the anonymous athlete caught using steroids. James Whitfield, principal of. He looked online and immediately saw a photo of him and his wife on the beach -- a photo shot by a professional photographer on their anniversary. Normally, the school dismisses at 4 p.m., a district spokesman said, but around 5:15 p.m. the district tweeted that it was doing a controlled dismissal of all students.. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield has faced sharp criticism from some parents who are accusing him of teaching critical race theory. James Whitfield at his home in Hurst on Sept. 16. Im gonna kick your ass.. Check to be sure that email from abi@luhsd.net will come through. 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). 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He said he agreed to take some of the photos down. From the moment I called the school, I didnt want him involved. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The 18-year-old, who is not a student, and two juvenile students were located inside the school, police said. Weve always been close, but since this, its been tough. She told the pharmacist she needed to vaccinate a horse. Feb. 5, 2005. She hurried downstairs and called the pharmacy at the nearby Walgreens. It didnt take long for more questions to come. 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. Dr. James Whitfield has been promoted several times in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD system. Kids had easy access to steroids, athletes were using them, and high school administrators were in denial. THEATRE DEPARTMENT. I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. 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! Its pretty simple. District: Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (ISD) SchoolDigger Rank: 370th of 1,876 Texas High Schools. ", "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. Students were dismissed about an hour late Tuesday, the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District tweeted. Hes not even playing football this year. The parents shes known since Bryan played tee ball with their kids a dozen years ago ignore her. Compare Colleyville Heritage High School to Other Schools gcisd-k12.org Told that, McClure said she was certain the information had been passed on to the Colleyville department. They shouldnt be filing stupid lawsuits. 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. Its even tough to find a yardman in town. They were extremely polite but thorough. Except for a few friends, he felt ostracized. But you figure theres a problem at the school, you call the school. Bryan understands, she says. It wont change anything. They had to get everything ready for when they return after the summer, when Bryan plans to go out for the varsity team. 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. We remain committed to providing a learning environment that fosters and encourages student academic and extracurricular achievement, Ryan wrote. Love will! First published on August 30, 2021 / 5:42 PM. Dr. James Whitfield has been on administrative leave since late August. 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. He mentions a senior. And while her son was fighting his battles, Lewis was fighting hers. While the move may have been about personnel, Whitfield said it feels personal. 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He's a happily married man. by Brian Lopez Feeder schools for Colleyville Heritage High School: Elementary: Chuck Schumer aims for weekend vote on bipartisan $1T infr Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, I'm a professional cleaner ditch these 4 household products immediately, Buster Murdaugh got 'very drunk' with dad 2 months after mom, brother murdered: source, Tom Sandoval speaks out on Raquel Leviss affair: I deserve your anger, Shoeless Ariana Madix awkwardly tries to avoid cheating Tom Sandoval, Prince Harry was scared to lose Meghan Markle after fight that led to therapy, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant allegedly flashes gun at a strip club, Chris Rock Places All The Blame On The Will Smith Slap On Jada Pinkett Smith And Red Table Talk: Everybody Called Him A Bitch!, Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval have awkward moment amid cheating scandal. (Cunningham says that at the time of the remarks, he didnt know Lewis identity, and he has since apologized.) The median household income tops $150,000. She was sad that shed been proven right. Good Lord, Lewis thought. Lewis pulled him out of CHHS and would soon enroll him in a nearby private school. Whitfield's status with Colleyville Heritage High School is expected to be decided at a Monday school board meeting. 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. It read nandrolone decanoate.. 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. 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. Why would he use steroids? Is Whataburger healthy? Its bad enough they identified her as a cheerleader. ", 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 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. 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. 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. 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. She went to sleep thinking it was the right thing to do. 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.. The decision. No, it didnt. Who knew? Dallas, Texas 75201. CHHS has several sub-administrators who are given students to oversee based on last name. (817) 305-4700. Lesli Ware. Lewis decided that she had an obligation to inform the school. The students created a fake wall with the. "As this is an ongoing personnel matter, we will not comment further. Officers on the scene have "the individual involved detained.". She didnt believe it. Colleyville Heritage High School is a top rated, public school located in COLLEYVILLE, TX. 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. He agreed not to name the family members. Texas Teacher of the Year keeps focus on students to drown out political noise, 'Its about a happy classroom': Garland ISD focusing on social emotional learning. Its been a roller coaster for him, she says. But on the other hand, if you can get a million-five from everyone who says youre a liar and youre crazy, then Im gonna get me a lawyer, and Im gonna be a rich man., EVERYONE IS MAD AT LORI LEWIS these days, either for suing the high school football coach or for not keeping her mouth shut in the first place. Lewis was stunned. The foursome scrambled back into their car and took off. 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. You heard that story earlier tonight. But they would not be more specific. Colleyville Heritage High School 5401 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 P 817-305-4700 F 817-358-4765 Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to Grapevine-Colleyville . She asked the druggist to decipher the label for her. Twitter Fam, Youve probably seen #IStandwithDrWhitfield coming across your timeline, wondering what on earth is going on. 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. Eric Celeste is the editor at Spirit, the inflight magazine of Southwest Airlines. Mom, they already know. I thought, Wow, that didnt work. Hey, you little pussy, he said. 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 The high school has about 2,000 students in ninth through 12th grades. It was time to do something about her own reputationand those of future whistle-blowers. Nine CHHS players have admitted to using steroids. It was the sort of breakthrough that could take a pointy-headed newspaper treatise and make it touch people, win awards, effect change. 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. In Colleyville, there are four places where kids usually hang out after dark: Whataburger, Taco Bell, Sonic, and Wendys. 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. Update: Revised at 9 p.m. with more information. Some of the photos the district received contained poses that are questionable for an educator, especially a principal or administrator. CHHS is a big school, with more than 2,200 students and an operating budget of $136.5 million for the. 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. But I didnt want any of this for Bryan, Lewis says. A mother raising a teenage boy who decided to use steroids like too many kids do, or a football coach who didnt know? 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. According to state test scores, 55% of students are at least proficient in math and 77% in reading. Anna Caplan, Special Contributor. He hopes he starts, he says. Even though it was approved by the district, the presentation was used to vilify my colleagues and me, he wrote. She wants a million-five. 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. This is how competitive it is in this town, Lewis says, smiling. Bryan never had to wonder whether his mom was engaged, as Dr. Phil likes to say. 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. How did you feel? In June, Lewis scheduled to have her lawn mowed by a Mid Cities fireman who runs a small lawn-care company. 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 . "His diversity efforts have just been amazing," said student Samantha Zelling, who took part in Friday's march and protest. She knew he didnt mean that literally more than half the Colleyville football team was on steroids. 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. On February 4, the Morning News dropped that bombshell and used quotes and information from their interviews with Lewis and Bryan. 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. As she waited, she overheard customers gabbing. He wrote that he cant ask others to speak up if he wont, and that being a school administrator does not take away my rights and ability to be human and defend myself.. Hes been up at his schools weight room with other athletes, cleaning the mats, spray-painting the weights, putting the gym junk away. Bryan knew who it was. 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. One of those parents complained. Theres no reason for me to take this photo down,' he told KXAS. 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. Colleyville Heritage High School Unclaimed. The Grapevine . But the moms wouldnt tell the other moms about it, because they want their kid to have an edge. They were identified merely as the athlete and his mother.. The University Interscholastic League, which sets rules for competition in Texas high school sports, has no policy on steroids. I knew what I was getting into. In fact, she knows that by filing a slander suit against the schools football coach, Chris Cunningham, she has only invited more recrimination. The driver came after him. She expected to hear from him in a week or so. The titles in the list range from children's books and anti-bullying tips to novels that discuss racism and sexuality. I'm ready to turn that next page, Whitfield told The Texas Tribune on Wednesday. Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,925. 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. Police did not identify either individual. 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. They said, Could you take it down? As Lewis recalls, Beal said, Ive talked to Coach Cunningham, and he says its not true. Not one single day.. They had pieced together a clear picture of a serious problem. No real names, anyway. The driver, the stockiest of the bunch, rapped on Bryans window. The district told WFAA again Friday that the decision has nothing to.