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Religious leaders ask federal government to look into racial tensions in 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 racial tensions in Grapevine-Colleyville and other area school districts.

The request comes after Monday night’s 7-0 school board vote authorizing Superintendent Robin Ryan to notify Colleyville Heritage High School Principal James Whitfield of the recommendation not to renew his contract.

Kenneth Jones, senior pastor at Como First Missionary Baptist Church, said pastors are concerned about the situation in the area.

“We have pastors in the community who live in Colleyville and their children go to school there,” Jones said. “We are concerned about the broader issues taking place in the Grapevine area.”

Jones is also a member of the Fort Worth Circle of Clergy, an interfaith and interracial group of pastors that is working toward racial justice. The pastors voiced their concerns that Whitfield is being unfairly penalized for speaking out against racism and for defending himself when he was accused of teaching critical race theory.

The Rev. Ryon Price, senior pastor at Broadway Baptist Church and a member of the Circle of Clergy, said that the district’s treatment of Whitfield is “concerning.”

“What is taking place in Colleyville at this time is, I think, a symptom of a much deeper problem,” Price said.

Price said Whitfield should not be penalized for his outspokenness.

“I feel like Dr. Whitfield has been caught up in much deeper currents that are at work in our state and in our nation,” Price said.

The Circle of Clergy, with over 50 pastors, issued a statement Monday describing how Whitfield spoke out against racism when he wrote a letter calling for unity after George Floyd’s murder.

The statement also described how Whitfield defended himself after former school board candidate Stetson Clark publicly named him several times at a July 26 board meeting and accused him of teaching critical race theory.

“As clergy we are deeply troubled about both the ethics and legality of what is taking place in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. No public information exists to suggest Dr. Whitfield’s employment status was or could have been in jeopardy prior to the actions of Mr. Clark at the July 26 school board meeting,” the statement said.

“The Board’s failure to prohibit Mr. Clark from publicly maligning Dr. Whitfield resulted in Dr. Whitfield’s understandable public response.”

School board vote

The board voted 7-0 to authorize the superintendent to notify Whitfield of the recommendation for nonrenewal of his contract.

The vote prompted a response from the audience, “no justice, no peace, no justice no peace.”

One member of the audience said, “Dr. Ryan, you’re no man of God,” referring to the superintendent.

Whitfield, who has been on paid administrative leave since Aug. 31, will receive a letter outlining the reasons for the superintendent’s recommendation. He will have 15 days to respond and request a hearing before the board.

Ryan said that Whitfield chose to have the information supporting the superintendent’s recommendation read in the open session.

“The district has attempted to resolve this issue with Dr. Whitfield and his (legal) representation both informally and formally with no avail,” Ryan said. “This has played out in this community as a racial issue, and many people are hurt and confused. It’s not about Dr. Whitfield’s race. It’s not about pictures. It’s not about certain individuals in this community calling for his resignation.”

The reasons outlined by the district included email communications with a party from outside of the school district and accusations of hiding public records from discovery by deleting them from sent items and trash folders.

Whitfield, the school’s first Black principal, was also accused of dividing the community. He previously was accused of promoting the teaching of critical race theory after he wrote a letter to Colleyville Heritage parents over racial issues when George Floyd was killed.

After the vote, Whitfield said he will decide his next steps after receiving the letter from the school district.

“The love and support in this room is what has sustained us through a time where other people that I hoped who would have supported me would have stepped up and done so,” he said. “While it’s unfortunate to hear what they had to say and the direction they’re choosing to take this, I am encouraged by the love and support.”

Widespread support for ‘extraordinary’ principal

Before the vote, more than 30 people rallied behind Whitfield in voicing their support during the special meeting as about 80 people crowded into the board room.

Everyone who spoke Monday was in favor of renewing his contract.

Parents, teachers and students praised Whitfield’s work and his openness and love for students.

“Extraordinary principals like Dr. Whitfield are few and far between,” said Stacie Silverman, who lives in the district. “He has a real connection that I simply haven’t found in other principals.”

Sean Vo, a senior at Colleyville Heritage said, “I’m done being ignored. You need to prove that you care about marginalized people and people of color.”

Whitfield also spoke to the board, expressing his “gratitude for all of the love and support from the community, especially from our students.

“I’m standing here on behalf of all kids. They should all have access to an excellent, equitable education. Unfortunately, my unapologetic actions brought me here tonight.”

When the board adjourned into executive session, students gathered outside and chanted, “Hey hey, Dr. Whitfield’s here to stay.”

Asking for ‘clarity’ on job status

Whitfield was named principal in May 2020 after serving as principal at Heritage Middle School since 2018.

The trouble began for Whitfield when he was called out publicly and accused of teaching and promoting critical race theory during the July 26 school board meeting. Publicly naming employees goes against district policy.

Whitfield wrote a lengthy Facebook post several days later saying he could no longer remain silent about racial attacks against him after he was publicly named at the school board meeting.

The district told the Star-Telegram previously that Whitfield’s being placed on administrative leave is a personnel matter, and that it had nothing to do with accusations that he taught critical race theory or with photos he posted showing him with his wife on the beach while celebrating their anniversary.

Whitfield’s attorney, David Henderson, told the Star-Telegram that he and his client first learned on Sept. 9 that the superintendent was going to recommend “nonrenewal” of the contract. Henderson described how Whitfield was not given specific reasons why officials did not want to renew the contract.

Whitfield received a document listing 34 possible reasons for “nonrenewal.” The school district highlighted several that included deficiencies pointed out in observation reports, appraisals or evaluations, supplemental memoranda, or other communications, insubordination or failure to comply with official directives and failure to meet the district’s standards of professional conduct.

Henderson said serving as principal at Colleyville Heritage is more than a job to Whitfield.

“Right now, this is his life. The district is treating this just like this is just his job,” he said. “But when you are a principal, this is not a 9 to 5 job. You live in the community and your kids go to school here; the decent thing to do is provide more clarity.”