A Black principal of a majority-white high school in Texas was forced to resign over controversy surrounding critical race theory.
NBC News reported that the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District board of trustees voted Monday to part ways with James Whitfield, principal of the majority-white Colleyville Heritage High School, after parents accused him of pushing critical race theory.
“This is beyond me,” Whitfield told NBC News on Monday. “I’m hopeful that we can use this to move forward and to progress and get some true meaningful change and for people to be OK with teaching truth, people to be OK with embracing inclusivity and diversity, celebrating every student that walks through the doors of our schools.”
There is no evidence that critical race theory is taught at the school. But, Whitfield, the school’s first black principal sent a letter to the school community in June last year amid nationwide protests for racial justice saying systemic racism is “alive and well.” More than a year later, that letter led to his ouster amid the debate about teaching CRT in schools.
Whitfield told the Texas Tribune that he never heard negative feedback about his letter until July 26 this year at a school board meeting when Stetson Clark, a former school board candidate at Grapevine-Colleyville ISD alleged that he was teaching and promoting “critical race theory.” Clark accused Whitfield of “encouraging the disruption and destruction of our district.”
Whitfield was initially suspended from his job in September. The district told NBC News at the time that it “proposed the nonrenewal of Whitfield’s contract due to deficiencies in his performance as principal that have been documented and discussed” and that “critical race theory” was not a factor.
He was given a chance to defend himself in a hearing on November 9 but sent in his resignation letter instead.
In a joint statement, Whitfield and the school district said they had “mutually agreed to resolve their disputes.”
“Both the District and Dr. Whitfield each strongly believe they are in the right. However, each also agrees that the division in the community about this matter has impacted the education of the District’s students,” the statement read in part. “The District and Dr. Whitfield have mutually agreed to resolve their disputes.”
