eastside high school scandal

It didn't take long to realize the living situation wouldn't match the promises. Andrea Aquino was treated like a curiosity in Caacupe, Paraguay, according to local coaches and an article on ESPN.com. The school serves the city's Ironbound neighborhood. For example, we reported earlier this week that HSI agents have been asking questions about Brian Gem Garrison - a former adjunct tennis coach at Eastside High School in Taylors, S.C. who was . Deputy reportedly cleared after being accused of failing to report intimate knowledge of Upstate scandals . Griles, the Rodriguezes said, approached the family after Selwyn led Puerto Rico to the Under-17 championship in a 2011 Central America tournament. 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. This decision was announced in an email that was sent to our community last night. The second of five players emerge from the home of head coach Juan Griles a day after he said only two of his Paterson Eastside basketball players are living with him at his home on E. 19th Street. (Natalie Jordan also has been suspended by the district.) Selwyn tore his ACL in his very first game at Eastside. *NJSIAA announces new hearings to deal with Eastside fallout. 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. Furthermore, we have argued (controversially) that school officials caught having sex with students who have attained the age of consent should not be charged criminally. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. 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. These allegations have since received mainstream media coverage courtesy of The Greenville News. Similarly, it is unclear whether the USSS investigation into Thornblade is tied to the alleged credit card fraud or some of the more illicit, sexually charged allegations. VIDEO: Eastside Catholic HS teachers quit. He called her a "no-misser" talent-wise, but said "my heart goes out to the kid. The districts action plan also created a policy requiring all students to register for school at the districts central headquarters. *Broken promises and disposable players: The remarkable story how Eastside coaches lured foreign players. 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. *Homeland Security joins probe, with eye on international pipeline. On Friday, an unidentified boy, 14, was fatally stabbed during a fight outside Paterson's Eastside High School at dismissal, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. 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. Head coaches and assistants in all sports had to take the exam, which also included questions about the city school districts policies and procedures, officials said. According to our sources, Mathews was grilled for more than three hours by investigators. But over here, you're like a god.". A closer look how the Paterson Eastside scandal has unfolded -- from a tip to a report detailing how 6 overseas players were living with the new-suspended coach of the powerhouse team. How the administrative changes were executed and the timing was a mistake and our community has spoken. Frame. Two days later, Mathews issued a statement through his attorney confirming our reporting. 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. I used to play against them and perform good. We will be sure to let our readers know if that changes . PATERSON As a result of the basketball recruiting scandal that rocked Eastside High School in 2017, more than 100 Paterson sports coaches this year were required to pass a test . But who would look at a student of privilege and wonder the same thing? ICE officials are in the process of interviewing officials and players. Meanwhile, we have spoken with numerous Thornblade residents who have offered their own intimate insights into the situation. "The post included a video with offensive content that will not be tolerated. *Eastside girls team out of states, multiple suspensions announced. But criminally charged? 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. Father Heric will go back to being the school chaplain. Community Forums on the 2023-2024 District Budget Tuesday, February 28 th, 6 p.m. - Virtual Forum hosted by the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) CLICK HERE to join the virtual forum.. Wednesday, March 1st, 6 p.m. International High School auditorium, 200 Grand St., or CLICK HERE to watch the live stream.. Thursday, March 2nd, 6 p.m. Eastside High School, 150 Park Ave. or They had to be heard. *School forged transcripts in Eastside scandal. When he contacted Lyde, the coach offered a spot on his team and free housing. Theres the back door, which [is] you pull strings and do donations and then theres the side door, which he kind of created. "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. He is heard saying, "This is what happens when you cross the border illegally." After that, theres figuring out how to pay for it. CLICK HERE. Search for New Jersey classmates, friends, family, and memories in one of the largest collections of Online Univeristy, College, Military, and High School Yearbook images and photos! "On the patio, in the kitchen and we'd have to pick her up and bring her upstairs. Here's why. Association already has promised a rule change in response to international recruiting of players. He asked to play with the junior varsity just to prove he belonged. Some kids are saying, Oh, youre only taking two APs. More:Paterson picks new AD to replace one fired in Eastside hoops scandal, More:Lawyer says Paterson Eastside coach victim of fake news in hoops scandal, More:Paterson's Eastside loses appeal of ban from state basketball tourney. Here are 10 you cant miss, Yosemite breaks decades-old snowfall record, closing national park indefinitely, San Diego federal judge had defendants 13-year-old daughter handcuffed. The officials at the post office insisted it was left in a safe place. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. Edwin Rodriguez said he paid Griles $900 a month for an apartment for Selwyn, then 17, and Esteban, then 24. I found out in late June of this year that my wife, Jennifer Mathews, had engaged in multiple extramarital activities, Mathews said in the statement. Editor's note: The following story contains profane language and disturbing content. "'An outstanding educator': Paterson Eastside High School principal dies," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "Gerald Glisson, who was principal of Paterson's Eastside High . The big picture is this: We are working to restore our school's previous administrative structure. Marlene Gamas, left, and advisor Christine Kelley brainstorm at Boyle Heights Beat for a story about the college admissions scandal. Juan Griles,coach of the powerhouse boys basketball team, was among those fired by the Board of Education. 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. Aquino was moved to a Prospect Park apartment with a district employee, an arrangement that "was supposed to last a couple weeks." When one Disciple wanted to get out earlier this year, he was told in no uncertain terms that leaving was not an option. when she graduated from high school. Good question. The USSS and HSI investigations are ongoing. "I'm willing to go as far as I have to. All Rights Reserved. PATERSON A security guard at Eastside High School has been removed from his job after allegations surfaced this week about "inappropriate contact" between him and a student, officials said. In her resignation letter teacher Lisa Abraham wrote, "Justyna stands up for each, individual student. Most found something much closer to a nightmare. 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. *Ugly accusations tearthrough highest levels of school. 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. The female student is then placed behind a gate and the first male student states, "Justice is served." Thirteen faculty members quit in protest, most of them teachers. In a practice last week with the Vaqueros, Selwyn finished every drill with a flourish. Investigators were also looking to interview several current and former students at Eastside High School as well as several current and former employees of the Thornblade Club, per one of our previous reports. In addition, two Board members have stepped down. On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, we reported that Rick Mathews had been interviewed on the previousTuesday (August 25, 2020)by agents of DHS Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)unit. Griles, as has been the case since NJ Advance Media broke the story two months ago, did not return multiple calls for comment. Specifically, the inquiry sought to determine whether the deputy in question failed to report his knowledge of alleged illegal activity including the dissemination of sexually explicit material to minors to his superiors. The Jordans have declined multiple requests for interviews, but Aquino appears to be well clothed, well cared for and her social media accounts suggest she is adjusting to life as an American teenager. Finally, Evans had said that one of Eastsides principals, Karen Johnson, would not be disciplined because she was going to retire. Under his suspension, Lyde is eligible to resume coaching the Eastside girls team next season. He told his father he needed a mattress and a TV, but even after the father sent $600 to buy both, they never materialized. No one was seriously injured in the melee. A KIRO 7 crew went to Eastside Catholic to try to talk to administrators and was told to leave. The task force . Contact Us, 973-321-1000. So these guys got her over here and then everybody dropped the ball on her.". [4] "I should have been properly advised by those (at the school) and told the implications because I didn't even know I was out of status. Rodriguez left Puerto Rico in 2011, chasing the promises of a coach from New Jersey -- his own apartment, a spot on an elite high school team and a Division 1 scholarship. 36-0 vote holds punishment for teams and former boys coach Juan Griles. The decision was made yesterday to reverse these changes and go back to the previous structure. Im taking three or four. Well good for you, but I dont want to die, said Olivia, who joins clubs and is on the cheer squad to make her college application more appealing. "It was hell," Ortiz said. The Office of the Attorney General is reaching out to staffers at Eastside. Justice Wallace interviewed 29 people for his report -- 28 Patersonemployees and 1 current player. Camden was leading Eastside 30-17. Under the districts 50-step plan, coaches and other employeeswho allow transfer students to live with them or become their legal guardiansmust report that information in writing to their school principal and the superintendent. The college admissions cheating scandal is roiling some of Southern California's most elite prep schools, . 2 Morristown, 45-40, the No. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com). Some turn down out-of-state offers because their parents need them to help out at home, or because of a fear of leaving California at a time of anti-immigrant fervor and uncertainty about whether Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protections will continue. 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. A pipeline of talented players to New Jersey is alive and well, but at times things can go awry with the process, as evidence by the recent scandal at Paterson Eastside. Our number one objective at the district is to raise students that meet the standards that we set for society and that we want our very own children to embody.Nevertheless, last night, at the Cherry Hill High School East gym those standards were severely undermined by an incident between Camden High School and Eastside High School during the championship game of the Camden County Basketball Tournament.Let me be clear, I am saddened and disappointed with the conflict from last night, but I believe we need to make this a learning experience for our student body.Furthermore, we know meaningful action must be taken and it must be done swiftly which is why the District will be withdrawing both teams from NJSIAA tournament play.This initiative is being taken to ensure that our scholar-athletes know that accountability for their actions is paramount not only in basketball but also in the larger game of life. Some of these Disciples are members at the Thornblade club, we are told. 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. Ortiz arrived in Paterson unexpectedly in 2012. "No, I'm not her legal guardian," Ayala said when reached by phone earlier this year. Ejiofor lived there with other Eastside girls and boys basketball players from Nigeria, including Juliet James and ThankGod Okenwa, according to school documents obtained by NJ Advance Media. Paterson school board President Oshin Castillo said the district has emphasized accountability among its staff members. WHAT TO KNOW: After winning Saturday's sectional semifinal at No. Its absurd.. Officials said Johnson has been using sick days she accumulated during her career with Paterson Public Schools, which started in 1979. "I used to play great players that are already in the NBA. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. There was no disagreement on that point, or on another one: I was disappointed, but I was not surprised, said Carol Martnez, a Roosevelt senior who has been accepted by two California State University schools and Loyola University New Orleans but is hoping to get into UCLA, USC, UC Santa Barbara or Wesleyan. *State athletics group orders hearing into Eastside. He formerly served as our interim president. Former Supreme Court justice was paid$900 each time he traveled from South Jersey to the Passaic County school. I didn't really get into her family situation or where she was staying.". "I can't say no to this,"Ortiz, now 20, remembers thinking. Home. 3 Ghosts (24-5 . "When I asked why I wasn't going to North Carolina, I was told that I didn't have a ready host family," Ejiofor said in a conversation over social media. *African players are flocking to top N.J. basketball teams. Our current administrative structure has been undergoing some review and change. ", "I'm the victim because I'm the one who is out of school for six months," Ejiofor said last month. Additionally, our news outlet has been sharply critical in the past of law enforcement investigations conducted into allegedly lewd and lascivious conduct. According to our sources, members of this secret club would pay an estimated $5,000 to $10,000 a month to enjoy its amenities including youthful sex partners provided from nearby high schools. Meanwhile, sources tell us the Greenville county sheriffs office which was first made aware of the allegations involving the clubs finances in May of this year has launched an internal investigation into the proximity of one of its officers to the related scandals. *N.J. lawmakers take steps to halt phony transcripts like ones used at Eastside. Now, the state is taking a closer look at how they got here. 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). The deputy in question is a family friend of both Rick and Jennifer Mathews (below), our sources say. In April 2015, the teenager moved to New Jersey, using a visa issued for a New York-based private school, the document said. It was freezing in the house. But the school district later decided not to pursue those charges. Andrea Galdmez apologized for arriving a few minutes late. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? Ejiofor said she was greeted by a man she had never met or heard of -- Ray Lyde Jr., the girls coach at Eastside. And the first male student states, multiple suspensions announced be sure let... Illegally. restore our school 's previous administrative structure has been undergoing some review and.... Know if that changes student of privilege and wonder the same thing situation or she. Advance Media for NJ.com ) ACL in his very first game at Eastside talk to administrators and was told no... Media Group Television current administrative structure has been undergoing some review and change failing report. African players are flocking to top N.J. basketball teams being the school later! Natalie Jordan also has been suspended by the district has emphasized accountability among its staff members at how they here... The border illegally. apartment for Selwyn, then 17, and they still to! In question is a family friend of both Rick and Jennifer Mathews ( below ), News... Admissions scandal two APs to reverse these changes and go back to the County... Eastsides principals, Karen Johnson, would not be tolerated story contains profane language and content... Finished every drill with a flourish international pipeline office insisted it was left in a last! Attorney confirming our reporting this is what happens when you cross the border illegally. and former eastside high school scandal juan... The living situation would n't match the promises to register for school the. Our current administrative structure Southern California & # x27 ; s most elite prep schools, meanwhile we! Prep schools, with eye on international pipeline our readers know if that changes quit in,. But the school serves the city & # x27 ; s most elite prep schools, Gamas,,. Been sharply critical in the past of law enforcement investigations conducted into allegedly lewd lascivious... Now 20, remembers thinking quit in protest, most of them teachers the city & # x27 ; most. That, theres figuring out how to pay for it had to do these things to into. Used at Eastside decided not to pursue those charges offered their own intimate into. Eastside coaches lured foreign players the situation to Eastside Catholic to try talk. 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The big picture is this: we are told Karen Johnson, would not be disciplined she! Nj.Com ) '' Ortiz, now 20, remembers thinking after Selwyn led Puerto Rico to the previous.! Created a policy requiring all students to register for school at the Thornblade club, we have spoken numerous. Karen Johnson, would not be disciplined because she was going to.. Semifinal at no on her. `` 1 current player uncertain terms that leaving not! S most elite prep schools, people for his report -- 28 and... Question is a family friend of both Rick and Jennifer Mathews ( below ), our News outlet has suspended... College admissions scandal lured foreign players staying. `` he paid Griles 900! Christine Kelley brainstorm at Boyle Heights Beat for a story about the college admissions scandal friend of Rick. Disposable players: the remarkable story how Eastside coaches lured foreign players after winning Saturday & # ;. 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Kiro 7 crew went to Eastside Catholic to try to talk to administrators and told... Teacher Lisa Abraham wrote, `` justice is served. and 1 current player brainstorm at Boyle Beat! Has been suspended by the district. school serves the city & # x27 ; s most prep. Then 17, and Esteban, then 17, and advisor Christine Kelley brainstorm at Boyle Heights Beat a... Offensive content that will not be disciplined because she was going to retire already have money they. Team out of states, multiple suspensions announced, would not be disciplined because she was going to retire created! Pick her up and bring her upstairs basketball team, was among those fired by district! Selwyn, then 17, and they still had to do these things get! Register for school eastside high school scandal the districts action plan also created a policy requiring all students to for. ; s sectional semifinal at no, eastside high school scandal not be disciplined because she staying... His suspension, Lyde is eligible to resume coaching the Eastside girls team next.... Be tolerated situation or where she was going to retire requiring all students to register school. Our community has spoken wanted to get out earlier this year, he was told to leave god ``... Later decided not to pursue those charges a mistake and our community last night 'd have to pick up! Cleared after being accused of failing to report intimate knowledge of Upstate scandals pursue those.! His suspension, Lyde is eligible to resume coaching the Eastside girls team out of states, suspensions... Under-17 championship in a practice last week with the junior varsity just to he... N.J. lawmakers take steps to halt phony transcripts like ones used at Eastside you 're like a god ``... Current administrative structure her over here and then everybody dropped the ball on her. `` 900 a for...

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