He was benched for a first-round state playoff game, and the reason seemed almost too cruel to believe. The students also talked about how, at a high-powered school, they might be in a distinct minority and be looked at as students who maybe didnt deserve to be there but got a break. According to our sources, most of the initial speculation has centered around Eastside High Schoolin Taylors, S.C. - and perhaps one other nearby school in the South Carolina government-run. As we previously reported, Thornblade club officials have acknowledged the existence ofserious financial irregularitiesrelated to the operations of the facility including alleged credit card fraud that was first reported earlier this year to the Greenville countysheriffs office. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. coach blew up, NJSIAA demands 'full accounting' from hoops power with several overseas players, School suspends hoops coach who had 6 overseas players living with him. WHEN/WHERE: Monday, 4:30 p.m., at No. Faculty members toldKIRO 7 Father Heric and the co-chairs of the board of trustees fired the principal of the high school and principal of the middle school without the permission of the rest of the board of trustees. The high and mighty went as low as they could go, and it did not play well in Boyle Heights. "Yesterday we were made aware of an inappropriate post on social media made by students at Eastside High School," Davis told The Covington News. Got a tip for a story? She lacked spending money, health insurance, winter supplies and even women's sanitary items, the report and other sources said. unanswered questions in the Paterson basketball scandal. *NJSIAA slams Eastside with unprecedented penalties. It has also prompted an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) although it is not initially clear which component of the multi-faceted situation the feds are focused on. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? Since our first story on Thornblade ran last week, we have been bombarded with tips related to these various allegations. *NJSIAA announces new hearings to deal with Eastside fallout. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com), *Season's over: Eastside boys pull out of Passaic County Tournament. She earned a 3.7 grade-point average and graduated in the top 20 of her class, according to an article in the Paterson Times. On Saturday morning at the Boyle Heights Beat, a student-run journalism operation, the hot topic was the college entrance cheating scandal and how . While membership obviously had its privileges, the club apparently had a strict no cancellation policy. In anticipation of a radio story for the Beat, Andrea went to work on her Roosevelt campus last week and asked students what they thought of the scandal. But Johnson, who is Shafers domestic partner, remains on the districts payroll with a total salary of $170,000, according to public records. [4] But when she landed in Queens, Ejiofor was dealt an immediate and unimaginable surprise: North Carolina was out and she was headed to New Jersey and a school called Paterson Eastside. At 6-foot-7, people in her village thoughtshewas a freak --all arms and legs clinging to themotorcycle she and her mother sold clothes from to support themselves. 0:00. The Paterson Public School District announced wide-ranging penalties to its athletics department. In January, the NJSIAA representative assigned to monitor Patersons athletics program sent the district a letter saying he had checked the basketball roster against eligibility lists and transfer records. Should they lose their jobs? F: contact@email.org Get Directions. No at least not in our view. "I really thought for me, right now, I was supposed to be playing in the NBA. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, or NJSIAA, recruiting sanctions against Eastside stemmed from a series of stories by the Star-Ledger exposing the fact that six players from Puerto Rico and Nigeria were living at Griles Paterson condominium. ", "The administrative changes were intended to support the board's vision for the school's future. We came to Eastside on a very big lie.". He asked to play with the junior varsity just to prove he belonged. Those tests were part of a 50-step corrective action plan implemented by Paterson Public Schools in the aftermath of the scandal that resulted in Eastsides basketball teams being banned from this years state tournament as well as the dismissals and suspensions of several athletic department staff members. 3 Ghosts (24-5 . Olivia Teforlack, a junior at Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet who wants to go to a University of California campus, said the pressures of high school and the college admission process were overwhelming enough without having to worry about reverse discrimination for the privileged. Both the Paterson Eastside High boys and girls basketball teams have seen an influx of international players enter their programs, raising concerns over immigration statuses. Her stay with Ayala did not last long, according to coaches and the report, even though he is still listed as her guardian on school documents. * Ousted athletic director: There are others at school involved in scandal. Superintendent Katrina McCombs released the following statement on Friday afternoon: In the Camden City School District, we pride ourselves on sculpting scholar-athletes and students that understand the importance of character and integrity. If you have difficulty accessing information on our website due to a disability, contact Ms. Green, Director of Operations, at mgreen@www.metscharterschool.org or (201) 526-8500 ext. 2022-2023 School Year Calendar. Neither do we. By Steve Lopez Columnist. To recap: We have been looking into three distinct Thornblade-related scandals: 1) Allegations of embezzlement involving the neighborhood golf club, 2) allegations of a prostitution ring (or sex ring) involving several Thornblade residents, and 3) allegations involving an athletics team at a government-run high school in nearby Taylors, S.C. which is said to be somehow connected to the prostitution/ sex ring accusations. Meanwhile, the adults linked to Aquino -- Ayala, Lyde, Sparks founder Shane Gerald and Sparks coach Keith Gilchrist -- have not responded to numerous phone calls and text messages asking about the player. PATERSON - Basketball players who transferred to Paterson's Eastside High School from Nigeria and Puerto Rico went through a different school registration process than did other students,. It took3teachers who risked everything tohelp the final 2 African players escape the mess at Eastside High. And at 6-foot-5, Ejiofor led Eastside to a pair of Passaic County championships, earning scholarship offers from Duke, LSU, Syracuse, Rutgers and several others. Home. Unfortunately, there are a pair of federal investigations underway related to the saga which first popped up on our radar screen almost two months ago. "Nobody ever said anything to me about I-20s," Lyde said. We have already announced all these changes to our community and they are overwhelmingly supportive of moving forward. Paterson Eastside High School basketball ban upheld by state commissioner, Paterson names new coach for Eastside girls basketball team, Michael Baker named boys basketball coach as Eastside looks to rebound from scandal, Paterson picks new AD to replace one fired in Eastside hoops scandal, Lawyer says Paterson Eastside coach victim of fake news in hoops scandal, Paterson's Eastside loses appeal of ban from state basketball tourney, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Here's why, This is just tip of iceberg, senator says in demanding full probe, Eastside girls team out of states, multiple suspensions announced, Troubling new questions, including concerns of human trafficking, broadside Eastside boys and girls programs, Season's over: Eastside boys pull out of Passaic County Tournament, The (many!) Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Editor's note: The following story contains profane language and disturbing content. In the meantime, a disclaimer as we have been investigating these reports, we have been cautioned (repeatedly) that controversial behavior is not necessarily the same as criminal behavior. *How scandal of overseas hoops players living with H.S. We are disappointed that these students engaged in this inappropriate behavior. Even adults gawked and teased her, the ESPN article said. Some of the Sparks' coaches also are on the Eastside girls staff. When I think about even if it was just 50 students whose parents cheated for them, those 50 spots could have actually gone to someone who gained those positions.. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com). Once students fake their way in, do the parents keep paying to have someone fix the tests they take in class? HSI agents have also reportedly been asking questions about Brian Gem Garrison - a former adjunct tennis coach at Eastside High School in Taylors, S.C. who was arrested and charged with. I didn't really get into her family situation or where she was staying.". He retired at the end of June. North 1, Group 4: Eastside. "I used to play great players that are already in the NBA. Classes could be delayed at a high school sports power house after more than a dozen teachers walked off the job. The Camden City School District said Friday that both teams have been withdrawn from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state tournament. Directions on submission are attached. The school board terminated two Eastside High School basketball coaches and the school's athletics supervisor on Wednesday night as a result of an investigation into the school's use of foreign players on its team. Paterson Eastside High's boys basketball team has been infused with talented players from Puerto Rico and Nigeria. Ortiz grew desperate. We had faith. Soon, he said, the coach began ostracizing him during practice. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, million college entrance racketeering scandal, reverse discrimination for the privileged, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Im visiting all 600 L.A. spots on the National Register. "You gotta call her coach and whoever. State Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex) called on Attorney General Christopher Porrino to investigate Paterson Eastside. Griles, he said, even bragged that he had contacts on the coaching staff at Rutgers, and that a Division 1 scholarship could be his if he came to Paterson. Shes hoping for a scholarship to pay her way. Ejiofor said she was greeted by a man she had never met or heard of -- Ray Lyde Jr., the girls coach at Eastside. Ejiofor, now 18 after graduating from Eastside 10 months ago, didn't know it then, but she violated immigration laws when she entered Eastside, which is not authorized to issue I-20s. Our sources also tell us not all of the sex acts currently under the law enforcement microscope were necessarily consensual which would be criminal under any circumstances. 0:05. She wants to major in psychology and build a career helping students who feel as stressed as she does now. Two years later, a newspaper named him West Virginia's Player of the Year -- his father proudly holds up the story for all to see. And he regrets others who followed him encountered similar problems. Aquino was moved to a Prospect Park apartment with a district employee, an arrangement that "was supposed to last a couple weeks." Their stories, when taken together, reveal just how far a high school program would go to scour the earth for talent, only to then discard many of the same players. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. After starting high school that spring, Aquino, who now stands 6-9, joined the powerhouse New Jersey Sparks AAU program. They already have money and they have resources, and they still had to do these things to get into college? asked Andrea, who gets up early to catch a 6 a.m. bus to school, gets home after dinnertime and still has a few hours of homework each night. Three employees fired, two others disciplined. CHERRY HILL, New Jersey (WPVI) -- An altercation broke out Thursday night in the middle of a high school basketball game in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. I would call the school about that.". Donald Trump Teases Delay Of 2020 Election, Internet Goes Bonkers, SC Teen Honor Student Falsely Accused Of Attempted Murder In Mall Shooting, Lawsuit Says, SC Vocational Rehab Scandal: Report Issued, Clemson Universitys Office Of Planned Giving Is Living In An Alternative Reality Right Now, South Carolina Insurance Fraud Sting: 18 Charged, LIVE FEED Murdaugh Murders Trial: Day Twenty-Seven, South Carolina Freedom Caucus Files Lawsuit, Murdaugh Murders Trial: Attorney General Stands And Delivers. Father Heric will go back to being the school chaplain. "He didn't have a bed (for me) so I was sleeping on a pile of clothes on the floor. The Office of the Attorney General is reaching out to staffers at Eastside. There are also blackmail allegations linked to the rumored prostitution/ sex ring. *N.J. lawmakers take steps to halt phony transcripts like ones used at Eastside. The deputy in question is a family friend of both Rick and Jennifer Mathews (below), our sources say. 2 Morristown, 45-40, the No. Faculty members don't believe it and told KIRO 7 high school Principal Justyna King worked to improve the culture at the school, increased diversity and cared about academics for all students. All four ended up in Paterson, playing for the powerhouse teams at Eastside High School, now the focus of multiple state and local investigations after a series of NJ Advance Media reports. Eastside HS Athletic Department Contacts downloadable PDF . Jio Fontan, a former Sparks coach and now the head coach at Queen of Peace High, said he worked closely with Aquino early in her New Jersey stay. "She was treated like a freak because she was so tall," said a New Jersey coach familiar with Aquino who declined to be identified due to the delicacy of the situation. VIDEO: Eastside Catholic HS teachers quit Classes could be delayed at a high school sports power house after more than a dozen teachers walked off the job. Father Heric was appointed to be interim president after the previous president, John Kennedy, resigned over the summer. In her resignation letter teacher Lisa Abraham wrote, "Justyna stands up for each, individual student. March 17, 2019 5 AM PT. School is supposed to start August 23, but on Friday the school confirmed classes will be postponed one week and start August 30. She said she had secured a student visa and Form I-20, which had been signed by officials at the North Carolina school. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "He made a lot of promises about the future, about getting Selwyn to a university, about getting him to Division 1," Selwyn's father, Edwin, said. I used to play against them and perform good. How the administrative changes were executed and the timing was a mistake and our community has spoken. A KIRO 7 crew went to Eastside Catholic to try to talk to administrators and was told to leave. 15 questions we still want answered after taxpayer-funded special report, A Star-Ledger Editorial: Report flawed by 'unexpectedly bizarre conclusion, The key players in Eastside scandal, fallout, Report leaves more questions than answers, Coaches, athletic director fired as fallout spreads, School forged transcripts in Eastside scandal. The districts action plan also created a policy requiring all students to register for school at the districts central headquarters. Asked if he cared to comment, he shifted in his wheelchair and said he wanted to go to college but didnt know how hed ever come up with the money, so hes doing whatever he can. Wealthy celebrities and business executives allegedly paid small fortunes to rig their kids SAT scores, bribe coaches and gain entrance to elite colleges, in some cases taking tax deductions for bribes disguised as charitable donations. We are in the process of hiring an interim president. Absolutely. The kinds of people their own parents work for. The players came to Paterson Eastside from Nigeria, Paraguay and Puerto Rico in search of their own hoops dream. The stories, including allegations of human trafficking, highlighted how players on the boys and girls teams suddenly and mysteriously arrived with promises of playing time, eventual college scholarships and new homes, according to interviews with players and internal school documents. This news outlet has leaned consistently libertarian in its coverage, and in addition to supporting all manner of consensual sex we have gone so far in the past as to editorialize on behalf of decriminalizing prostitution. When the member refused to pay his monthly dues, his wife was reportedly provided with video evidence of her husbands infidelity. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Also, Evans had said the district would seek tenure charges against Griles in an effort to oust him from his teaching position at Eastside. But who would look at a student of privilege and wonder the same thing? "On the patio, in the kitchen and we'd have to pick her up and bring her upstairs. The Beat reporters heard each other out and decided to invite a teacher, a college student and a parent maybe Azucenas mother to participate in a radio talk show about the scandal. ", Sauls named principal of East Newton Elementary for 2023-24 school year, STOVALL: It's Visions time again and we need your nominations for award winners, Suspect identified in fatal hit and run in Covington found dead of gunshot wound, Newton deputies searching for suspect in armed robbery attempt at convenience store, Club helps spread pickleball popularity in Newton County, Government leaders, professors part of GSU-Newton panel discussion, NEWTON EVENTS: Black History Parade, Daffodil Festival & Symposium, GSU-Newton Daffodil Festival to feature speakers, events, NEWTON EVENTS: Black History Month parade, Lions Club fundraiser, Piedmont Academy girls basketball is back in Final Four again, Eastside baseball sweeps Social Circle in non-region double header on Saturday, Newton alum Elija Godwin wins gold in 400-meter at SEC Indoor Championships, Newton Rams enjoy sweet victory over Pebblebrook, Eastside Eagles' historic season comes to an end after Sweet Sixteen exit, CARROLL: Remembering Karen Carpenter, 1950-1983, CLAUDETTE HARDEN & OLINDA RICARD-HODGE: Its a new year for mental health, PACE: BeReal app offers alternative experience. "She's obviously confused and doesn't understand what's going on. Our Upstate sources which include law enforcement officers, prosecutors, attorneys and private investigators, among others have conveyed a remarkably consistent narrative about what allegedly transpired behind the scenes in this exclusive enclave. ", "As I'm sure you can understand, I am not able to provide specific personnel details. They said they came because Juan Griles, the basketball coach at Eastside, sold a future that this working-class family from Caugas could not resist. Paterson officials 'highly troubled' by latest bombshell in scandal that began with report of 6 overseas players living in coach's condo and widened to include concerns of human trafficking. For now, we are continuing to vet all of the information coming in and we hope to have additional information to report to our readers soon. For Andrea and fellow Boyle Heights Beat reporters, news of the $25-million college entrance racketeering scandal hit like a gut punch. Meanwhile, we have spoken with numerous Thornblade residents who have offered their own intimate insights into the situation. Selwyn Rodriguez never imagined a basketball journey that included meeting reporters in front of a giantbottle of seasoning salt. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Seattle Times staff reporter A Seattle high school teacher is accused of repeatedly having sex with a 16-year-old student, who reported their encounters to school officials and police last. Ever said anything to me about I-20s, '' Lyde said that spring, Aquino, who now 6-9! With talented players from Puerto Rico in search of their own hoops dream a scholarship to pay way! Students engaged in this browser for the school about that. `` of. 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Psychology and build a career helping students who feel as stressed as she does now pile of clothes eastside high school scandal... Own hoops dream and youtubes terms of service is available here and youtubes terms of service is here. Halt phony transcripts like ones used at Eastside resources, and website this! Imagined a basketball journey that included meeting reporters in front of a giantbottle of seasoning salt tohelp the final African. Sex ring spending money, health insurance, winter supplies and even women 's sanitary,!
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