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. First, she noticed the syringes. Im gonna kick your ass.. I guess they dont care.. GreatSchools Rating 5 reviews Awards Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. I think its sweet. When Ted Beal answered his phone that morning, September 23, the nightmare began for the CHHS administration. They know.. He had a Grapevine High School sticker on his car, so he didnt go to Heritage. In a town like Colleyville, you cant tell anyone a secret you want kept. 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. 12. 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. 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! A mother raising a teenage boy who decided to use steroids like too many kids do, or a football coach who didnt know? James Whitfield chose to resign from his position as principal of Colleyville Heritage High School and the school board unanimously accepted on Monday. Dallas Cowboys want another playmaker on offense. A few days later, he dialed the players cell phone to arrange delivery, reaching him in an SAT preparation class.. None of the individuals had weapons on them, but a handgun was found in one of the students cars, police said. Bryan, afraid that someone inside had called the police, did the same. [2] Colleyville Heritage High School celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006. Sports means everything to folks here, Bryan says. Three of his best friends have transferred to it in the past few years, so he has his core group of buddies together. 4:25 PM on Mar 1, 2022 CST Updated at 8:58 PM on Mar 1, 2022 CST. Our membership goal is 1 voice for every student! "We don't know what report they're talking about," she said. Attendance Clerk. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. They needed more information. For nearly 10 years, she wrote restaurant reviews for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and her work has appeared in 360 West, Eater Dallas, Edible DFW, A+C magazine, D CEO, GlobeSt.com and Houstonia magazine. But I didnt want any of this for Bryan, Lewis says. He was just letting her know that he wasnt alone. In May 2018, Dr. Ryan was named the 2018 Region XI Superintendent of the Year. Lewis begged him to calm down. Weve always been close, but since this, its been tough. Read more about CRT here. 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. Lt. Gov. A Black North Texas principal has agreed to resign after being put on paid administrative leave in August amid accusations he was teaching and promoting critical race theory. But he doesnt like it., When her son talks, she stares at him intently, looking for signs that hes upset or angry. Officers on the scene have "the individual involved detained.". 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. 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. 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. My mom catches me at everything, Bryan says. What did you expect him to say? Can you take this picture down? 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. They werent snitches. That they are able to hear and see the students. Cunningham has apologized and said it was wrong to say the things he did, but I think anybody would have reacted the same way. It was, 'Hey, I am trying to avoid any conflict. Had it come to that? Hes a happily married man. One of those parents complained about the photo and the district ordered Whitfield to take it down. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Last Monday, August 23, students gathered at a school board meeting to express their support for Whitfield. Lewis was stunned. I thought, Wow, that didnt work. 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 schools denial. Meanwhile, a petition in support of Whitfield has garnered hundreds of signatures, and he said hes humbled for all the support hes received. Hes been up at his schools weight room with other athletes, cleaning the mats, spray-painting the weights, putting the gym junk away. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. I do miss some of my friends from Heritage, he says. I knew it as soon as I finished the story. Lewis made it clear that they could not take her son out of class to talk to him. It was the right thing to do. The school went on lockdown when the incident was reported. No one from the school called her. 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. Sort of. He said he agreed to take some of the photos down. Not one single day.. 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. 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 . It was all there. Colleyville Heritage High School Unclaimed. 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! All that stuff I could handle, and I do handle, she says. Theyre mad at my mom because shes messing with that.. Public school 1,974 Students Grades 9-12. The school district told KXAS in a statement: When a social media concern is brought to the attention of the district, we have a responsibility to review it. Note! Other people in the audience shouted in support and cheered when Clark made his remarks. The parents shes known since Bryan played tee ball with their kids a dozen years ago ignore her. Its a smart school, too, well above state and national averages in students ACT and SAT scores. Summarizing his defense, he finally blurted, Mom, the majority of the football team is taking them.. During the following months, the reporters put together their package of stories. When Lori Lewis learned that many players on her sons Colleyville Heritage football team were using steroids, she blew the whistle. Feeder schools for Colleyville Heritage High School: Elementary: 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. Colleyville Heritage High School. He said the district wouldn't tell him why. In his post Saturday, Whitfield explained that the photos were taken a decade ago during their 10-year anniversary in Mexico. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. The students named an adult with no ties to the school as the source of the substances. 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 evening, she obsessed about its implication. Oh, that. Faking it wasnt easy. There were four teenagers inside, two in the front seat, two in back. Cunningham wants to know, Why now? (CHHS officials declined to speak with D Magazine.) CHHS has several sub-administrators who are given students to oversee based on last name. 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 knows its just because she loves him, but, damn, so many other kids get away with telling white lies, staying out late. Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. Read more about this topic: Colleyville Heritage High School, Athletics, And therefore, as when there is a controversy in an account, the parties must by their own accord, set up for right Reason, the Reason of some Arbitrator, or Judge, to whose sentence, they will both stand, or their controversy must either come to blows, or be undecided, for want of a right Reason constituted by Nature; so is it also in all debates of what kind soever.Thomas Hobbes (15791688), Bret Boone - Professional Career - Legacy -. And while her son was fighting his battles, Lewis was fighting hers. 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. 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. Its even tough to find a yardman in town. 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 Theyd made a mistake, she says. He hopes he starts, he says. Check to be sure that email from abi@luhsd.net will come through. "They're here to show their voice. 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. It had absolutely nothing to do with race. She checked the time. Hes a good kid. On the bus, she read, careful not to catch anyones eye. 6 /10. The agreement seemingly puts an end to Whitfields arduous battle with the school district that date backs to July 26, when he was first accused of teaching critical race theory during a Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District school board meeting by Stetson Clark, a former candidate for the district's school board. ", "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. You heard that story earlier tonight. 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. Lori Lewis carried a pair of her sons jeans into his closet. He hung up. But no names were used. From the moment I called the school, I didnt want him involved. Colleyville Heritage, however, is the first school in the state to have multiple students admit to using steroids, said Kim Rogers, spokeswoman for the University Interscholastic League. After months of trying, Jones and Jacobson finally interviewed coach Chris Cunningham, who declined to talk to D Magazine through a spokeswoman and through his lawyers. Hate and #racism will not rule the day. No one from above ever mentioned anything else about it, but the damage was inflicted on us in profound ways, he wrote. It was time to do something about her own reputationand those of future whistle-blowers. And even if the answer was all of them, how many had gone to Kroger and said she needed them for a horse? 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. Well, Im a friend of Coach Cunninghams. Judges rejected so many of the girls that they did not have enough cheerleaders for a junior varsity squad this year. Her discovery. (817) 305-4700. Minutes later, her son, Bryan Dyer (Lewis remarried in 1993), walked out of the school with a friend and headed toward his truck. "It would be my hope that more rational minds prevail. The district told WFAA again Friday that the decision has nothing to. I wonder who it was.. When he decided not to play (and when he noticed acne on his back during the family vacation in Florida), he stopped. Bryan understands, she says. Wednesday and Thursday shows are cancelled due to inclement weather. That Friday after the story had come out, near midnight, Bryan got a call on his cell phone. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. She has begun to work with Don Hooton, the Plano father whose 17-year-old son committed suicide in July 2003 because of his steroids-induced depression, to raise steroid awareness and stiffen national testing laws. Whatever. He wants to play wide receiver. Whitfield's status with Colleyville Heritage High School is expected to be decided at a Monday school board meeting. 750 North St.Paul St. Theres no reason for me to take this photo down,' he told KXAS. Anybody really believe that? Catherine Marfin, Breaking News Reporter. We remain committed to providing a learning environment that fosters and encourages student academic and extracurricular achievement, Ryan wrote. 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. While the move may have been about personnel, Whitfield said it feels personal. Aria writes about breaking news. I am grateful for your partnership and look forward to working with you to serve and support the students of Colleyville Heritage High School.. , Chris Cunningham says hes trying to do something about the problem so it doesnt happen again. Thinks he will. Lewis decided that she had an obligation to inform the school. It's something he and the district have denied. She knew the pettiness would get worse once she filed the lawsuit. An anonymous parent called the high school and said football players were using steroids, which are illegal to use or possess in Texas without a prescription, and that the school's football coach condoned it. "They did not feel there was a problem that we needed to look into," Rogers said. We remain committed to providing a learning environment at Colleyville Heritage that fosters and encourages student academic and extracurricular achievement," Grapevine-Colleyville ISD said in a news release. Colleyville is a majority-white city with only 1% of residents identifying as Black or African American, according to census data. "We're talking about a very short period, weeks," district spokeswoman Robin McClure said. 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. When Bryan got to school on Monday, it didnt take long to see that his cover had been blown. On their cardboard, handmade wall, they wrote: 'Paid for by . She went to sleep thinking it was the right thing to do. Who is available? Im gonna beat your ass.. The University Interscholastic League, which sets rules for competition in Texas high school sports, has no policy on steroids. 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. 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. Not one day has gone by that I havent had to deal with this or talk about it to someone. Why did you stop?Jones and Jacobson, top-notch investigative reporters, had been working on a series of stories about steroid abuse in area high schools. . I am not the CRT (Critical Race Theory) Boogeyman. Many in town obviously dont take the steroids problem seriously. Dec 29, 2022 The 2022-23 UIL high school soccer season officially starts today and the Star Telegram released its first soccer area rankings this week. No spam, ever. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD may decide his fate by Monday. How did you feel? Theyre open late, they have cheap food, and theyre close by. She says she never used the word condone, and her demeanor in all those phone calls was completely appropriate. The next day, Lewis picked up her Sunday Morning News and boarded a chartered bus to Austin for a sales meeting. Hes just got to get a little faster, a little bigger, a little stronger. Lewis said she didnt want the schools help. In Colleyville, there are four places where kids usually hang out after dark: Whataburger, Taco Bell, Sonic, and Wendys. He pulled forward into a parking space and waited on his friends, hoping everyone else would ignore him. That kid will know who Patrick is. I think its silly, I cant see why a husband and wife cant have a picture of them in a sweet moment, she said. GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A high school principal at the center of a controversy in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is now on administrative leave. But the moms wouldnt tell the other moms about it, because they want their kid to have an edge. First published on August 30, 2021 / 5:42 PM. 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. "His diversity efforts have just been amazing," said student Samantha Zelling, who took part in Friday's march and protest. They had to get everything ready for when they return after the summer, when Bryan plans to go out for the varsity team. Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. 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. COLLEYVILLE HERITAGE. But the students at CHHS had obviously read the story. We need to make sure we're providing a healthy environment for all of them. Lewis was dumbfounded. By Hannah Natanson Photos and. The move comes a week after the principal and a crowd of supporters attended a school board meeting to address claims from a group of parents who say he is teaching critical race theory. 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. Bryan is used to getting in trouble with his mom. By about 6 p.m., all students had been dismissed and all buses had left the campus, according to the school district. Besides, she said. Media pundits like Hansen say she should shut up and let it be. 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. 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. He marched into his mothers room and paced in front of her. "I think it's sweet. 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. 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. Stressed over the accusations, Whitfield said he couldn't shake the photo incident of 2019 from his head and the district's conclusion the photo was inappropriate. Oh, yeah, some of them are still doing it, Bryan says. ", "Nothing he's done has anything to do with critical race theory," said civil rights attorney David Henderson ofEllwanger Law, which is supporting Whitfield. Colleyville Heritage High School principal James Whitfield has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to Grapevine-Colleyville . Mother and son had always been close, though. But she acknowledges that if shed known then how her city would turn against her, how her son would become ostracized by other kids, how her motives would be mocked on radio and television, how her actions would be second-guessed by police, it would have given her pause. The reporters worked other sources. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied journalism and public relations. A wave of nausea swept through her. Live. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Turner: TEA is giving Houston ISD two optionsclose school or be taken over, Two ocelots were photographed crossing a road in rare South Texas sighting, Houston Rockets poised to reap benefits from Eric Gordon trade, Willie Nelson's new album is a lovely tribute to a fellow country legend, Hiker captures 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo of wildlife at Brazos Bend State Park, Why Johnson City in Texas Hill Country is the new, cooler Fredericksburg. We just have to lay low, she said. Lewis hung up. Critical race theory, or CRT, is an academic discipline usually taught at the university level. But the reporters needed something else. 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.. Eric Celeste is the editor at Spirit, the inflight magazine of Southwest Airlines. 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. August 30, 2021 / 5:42 PM Clark said Whitfield was encouraging the disruption and destruction of our district because Whitfield, the high school's first Black principal, wrote a letter to the community during the summer of 2020 detailing how hurt he was over the deaths of three Black Americans: George Floyd in Minnesota, Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia. They were extremely polite but thorough. I have done nothing wrong by anyone, Whitfield said. It wont change anything. 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. As the editorial note at the storys end explained, She and her son feared retaliation from other Colleyville athletes, coaches, and parents. Kids had easy access to steroids, athletes were using them, and high school administrators were in denial. Except for a few friends, he felt ostracized. He's a happily married man. Thats what everybody should be doing. "They said, 'Could you take it down? I wanted to protect him. Beal said she was not cooperating. 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. I am the first African American to assume the role of Principal at my current school in its 25-year history, and I am keenly aware of how much fear this strikes in the hearts of a small minority who would much rather things go back to the way they used to be, he wrote. Updated at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday with details throughout. at 7pm. Unfortunately, it didnt work out that way.. The foursome scrambled back into their car and took off. THE SECRETARY AT COLLEYVILLE HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL asked Lori Lewis for her sons last name.