Mom, Im going over there. Students were dismissed about an hour late Tuesday, the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District tweeted. It would be my hope finally someone listens to the students because ultimately that's who we're here to serve. 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. If my house was on fire, would you put it out? she asked. Ranking weighted 4.0 GPA* (includes only Core, LOTE, and AP courses in GPA calculation), 2. , Lori Lewis says the comments by Coach Cunningham slandered her and her reputation has been damaged. Jones and Jacobson talked to others in Colleyville who were suspected users, and all denied it. GreatSchools Rating 5 reviews Awards Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. Bryan is used to getting in trouble with his mom. 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. I have done nothing wrong by anyone, Whitfield said. CHHS PTSA Reflections Chair. Anna Caplan covers McKinney, Southlake, Grapevine and Colleyville. 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. Where were you when you first injected them? In two sentences, theyd given Bryan away., Patrick arranged the [steroids purchase] with a couple of phone calls, paying $200 to a varsity football player. GPA is calculated on a 4.0 weighted GPA scale. He knows its just because she loves him, but, damn, so many other kids get away with telling white lies, staying out late. In December, however, nine students involved in football and other unspecified sports came forward and said they used steroids last spring. "They did not feel there was a problem that we needed to look into," Rogers said. Aria writes about breaking news. . Colleyville players admit to briefly using steroids - Chron Lewis begged him to calm down. "But if it's not CRT for this group, it will be something else.". Join us today so we can achieve that goal! How many varsity football players got calls for drug deals in their SAT prep class this year? Enjoy unlimited access to all of our incredible journalism, in print and digital. 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. Told that, McClure said she was certain the information had been passed on to the Colleyville department. Colleyville High School Principal Says He Expelled Gay Student Because Going forward, Whitfield believes his work in education isnt done. 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. 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. Lewis jumped in her car and raced the two miles to CHHS. She called a reporter at the weekly Colleyville Courier and told him her story. Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. Its why she doesnt let me talk to, or even see, her husband and younger daughter. 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. One section on the report's website was called "Colleyville Heritage's team secret". 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. Only 22,000 people live in Colleyville. He said the district wouldn't tell him why. 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. She was sad that shed been proven right. They asked Bryan to relive every detail. Hes just got to get a little faster, a little bigger, a little stronger. August 30, 2021 / 5:42 PM Who is available? Feeder schools for Colleyville Heritage High School: Elementary: He wants to play wide receiver. Its bad enough they identified her as a cheerleader. Theyd made a mistake, she says. It's something he and the district have denied. Instead of issuing their support of me, they came after me, he said. I thought, Wow, that didnt work. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. Well, Im a friend of Coach Cunninghams. Kids need us! the principal added. They had to get everything ready for when they return after the summer, when Bryan plans to go out for the varsity team. They werent too happy with me, she says. 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. 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. Aria Jones, Breaking news reporter. We hid the photo, no one from above ever mentioned anything else about it, but the damage was inflicted on us in profound ways. 5401 Heritage Ave, Colleyville, Texas | (817) 305-4700. 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. Now, GOP lawmakers have turned their attention to what books children have access to in schools. And when he went to his truck after school, there was a sheet of notebook paper under his windshield wiper with one word scrawled across it: SNITCH.. A weighted scale means additional GPA points are assigned to courses with greater rigor. One day in the lunchroom, Bryan walked up to a group of students gathered around a table. How Colleyville Heritage's Black principal was swept into a "critical Its a smart school, too, well above state and national averages in students ACT and SAT scores. 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. 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. The University Interscholastic League, which sets rules for competition in Texas high school sports, has no policy on steroids. Focusing on unique things school districts are doing to help children succeed. Heritage Elementary School 4500 Heritage Avenue Colleyville, TX 76034 Eagle 1991 507 Bransford Elementary School 601 Glade Road . He will step down as principal at Colleyville Heritage High School and remain on paid leave until 2023. first accused of teaching critical race theory during a Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District school board meeting. Here is a look at the Top 3 girls teams in Class 5A. As Lewis recalls, Beal said, Ive talked to Coach Cunningham, and he says its not true. 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. Lewis was convinced the tiny bottle held heroin, unaware that most illicit drugs are not sold with pharmaceutical labels. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. Website. ", Grapevine-Colleyville ISD issued the following statement Monday. Colleyville Heritage High School is a public high school of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District located in Colleyville, TX. Dozens Of Colleyville Heritage High Students Rally In Support Of At that moment, it didnt seem like an earth-shattering admission. 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. Thats how competitive it is.. 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. 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. 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. 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. I think its sweet. CHHS has several sub-administrators who are given students to oversee based on last name. The story was long, one of several the Morning News would run that week concerning steroid use. Colleyville Heritage High School (TX) Varsity Basketball - MaxPreps.com Attendance Clerk. In the ensuing days, Whitfield found himself at the center of the debate over how race is taught in Texas schools. COLLEYVILLE - Nine Colleyville Heritage High School students involved in football and other athletics have admitted to using steroids, district officials said Friday. She laughs about it more than she complains. While the status of this as an ongoing personnel matter limits the information that the District can disclose about the events leading up to this decision, the speculation and conjecture that surround these events warrant some additional context. One of those parents complained about the photo and the district ordered Whitfield to take it down. How long did you do it? 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. Lesli Ware. Also in the post, the principal referred to an incident in which a school administrator asked Whitfield to remove a photo of him and his wife, who is white, from his Facebook page. 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. Can you take this picture down? We will not sit silently while these individuals continue their bigoted attacks. Besides, she said. She was the founding editor of the websites PureWow Dallas and Racked Dallas. For questions, to submit digital entries or to coordinate pickup of entries, please contact: Kacey Bess. They shouldnt be filing stupid lawsuits. The titles in the list range from children's books and anti-bullying tips to novels that discuss racism and sexuality. For weeks, kids buzzed about who they thought might be the anonymous athlete caught using steroids. GPA/Ranking - Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School - SharpSchool She stared at the label, trying to concentrate as her heart rate spiked. Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Submission Deadline: 11/4/22. Youget home! she told him. 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. Principal Speaks Out After School District Brands His Anniversary Pic Colleyville Heritage High School Unclaimed. Im going to fight him.. She demanded to know why he was taking steroids. 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.. and I asked, 'Why? (Even though, technically, its in Euless.) Even though it was approved by the district, the presentation was used to vilify my colleagues and me, he wrote. Is Whataburger healthy? Read more about CRT here. It was also about keeping up with bitter enemies from Southlake Carroll, Grapevine, Keller, all the schools on the schedule. This was so she could direct Lewis to the appropriate vice principal. She was still at her sales conference. "I think it's sweet. It has 2,123 students in grades 9th through 12th. Not Bryans. We have established procedures for that which we are following.". Admitted it months earlier, not long after the journalists had interviewed Coach Cunningham. His resignation won't be official. The weekend before the series was to run, a fax came to the Morning News. It was early afternoon on Wednesday, September 22, and the Colleyville mother, after putting away the jeans, noticed a black leather bag. It wont change anything. It was from the Grapevine-Colleyville school district. Im gonna beat your ass.. ), & 6 (Mon.) 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. Wed have to move if our names came out, she said.. 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.. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Dallas College. It read nandrolone decanoate.. They had pieced together a clear picture of a serious problem. Heritage High School Im gonna kick your ass.. "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?' 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 Thank you for spreading love! He said he agreed to take some of the photos down. As she waited, she overheard customers gabbing. On February 4, the Morning News dropped that bombshell and used quotes and information from their interviews with Lewis and Bryan. The Colleyville kids rarely venture far from home. 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. I just want to know, Why? Oh, yeah, some of them are still doing it, Bryan says. Hes a good kid. 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. Football players were calling him Patrick. Conversations stopped when he arrived. Dangit, you got me!? It was a football player. He meant half the players who mattered were juicing. People leave me alone. My mom catches me at everything, Bryan says. "The only mention we make is a warning on health effects on our Web site," she said. But you figure theres a problem at the school, you call the school. He is rubbing his hands while he talks, trying to get the grime off his fingers. He took notes: Most Football Team taking SteroidsSon Played last yearCoach CunninghamSon Plays [blacked out]*Anomysly*. He mentions a senior. Colleyville Heritage High School - Athletics - Steroid Controversy The students named an adult with no ties to the school as the source of the substances. Lewis was stunned. Buy tickets online here. She said the issue comes up informally "every time a professional athlete makes headlines" for steroid use. He called a few buddies shortly before midnight and told them to meet him at Whataburger, one of the town hangouts. 5401 Heritage Ave. Colleyville, TX 76034-5919. This one held something. She went to sleep thinking it was the right thing to do. The Grapevine . Colleyville, Texas, principal resigning after critical race theory Some of the photos the district received contained poses that are questionable for an educator, especially a principal or administrator. Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield has faced sharp criticism from some parents who are accusing him of teaching critical race theory. 12. 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. One of the students was detained on a charge of having a weapon in a place where its prohibited, police said. Anna Caplan, Special Contributor. Some parents learned about the photo incident when they read Whitfields account on Facebook. Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond. At a board meeting a few weeks before last weeks, the parent group accused Whitfield by name which is against school board meeting rules. Lewis didnt want to confront Bryan in front of his friends. There were also names. Dan Patrick has called it a ridiculous leftist narrative. Gov. Attendance Office - Colleyville Heritage High School 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. By Hannah Natanson Photos and. We just have to lay low, she said. Over time, Bryan began to trust them and open up. 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. 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. Love will! He hung up. Read more about this topic: Colleyville Heritage High School, Athletics Other articles related to "steroid controversy, steroid, steroids": 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. Were set to play more disadvantaged and diverse opponents Trinity. Calendar - Colleyville Heritage High School Whitfield wrote that the allegations were connected to a 2019 presentation he took part in as middle school principal on Breaking the Barriers that addressed peoples differences. She knew he didnt mean that literally more than half the Colleyville football team was on steroids. How many of them bought needles for players? Hes not happy that Im still talking to the media. 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. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. 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"His diversity efforts have just been amazing," said student Samantha Zelling, who took part in Friday's march and protest. Lewis told Beal that her son had used steroids, that he obtained them from other kids on the team, that they got them from someone at the nearby Whataburger. Texas School Finds Few Girls Good Enough for Cheerleading "Our lawyers are looking at it," she said. As part of a settlement between Whitfield and the district, he will remain on paid administrative leave until then. at 7pm. Ironically, it was the place where hed purchased his steroids. He sold her the needles.. She told the pharmacist she needed to vaccinate a horse. There were several long pauses, she says. I am grateful for your partnership and look forward to working with you to serve and support the students of Colleyville Heritage High School.. It centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nations institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people in society. He rolled it down. A wave of nausea swept through her. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He talked quickly, stumbling over his words, trying to explain his reasoning. The driver said he was friends with one of the players who used steroids. [3] The high school has about 2,000 students in ninth through 12th grades. I guess they dont care.. Show us with your support. Lori Lewis carried a pair of her sons jeans into his closet. And even if the answer was all of them, how many had gone to Kroger and said she needed them for a horse? No one could see her talking to school officials. They said, Could you take it down? Thats your investigation? We need to make sure we're providing a healthy environment for all of them. 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.