The students involved have been disciplined according to the student code of conduct. Father Heric was appointed to be interim president after the previous president, John Kennedy, resigned over the summer. Ejiofor, then 15, had made her own arrangements, navigating the complicated immigration process. Now hes under review, Blizzard conditions close major highways and roads in Lake Tahoe area, I-5 closed through Grapevine as last wave of winter storm hits Southern California, Dictators and criminals fear this USC instructor whos making the case for an Oscar. Griles, who played professionally in Puerto Rico and owned businesses there, told the family Rodriguez would get to face Towns, who played scholastically at St. Joseph's in Metuchen, and prove he was better. "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. We have already announced all these changes to our community and they are overwhelmingly supportive of moving forward. Things have been eerily quiet in the South Carolina Upstate over the last few weeks as it relates to the Thornblade saga a host of alleged scandals centered around an upscale neighborhood and exclusive golf club located in the suburbs of Greenville, S.C. And quiet is just how the wealthy, influential local citizens at the heart of these scandals hope things will stay . Excellence for All Students Through Strong Relationships & Instructional Strategies Delivered by Effective Educators. No at least not in our view. *State vows to crack down on international player recruiting. 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. ", To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that 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. No one was seriously injured in the melee. ", Selwyn Rodriguez during practice with Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico. Probably. 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. 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. *Fired coach wonders: How did I become guardian for 7-foot Nigerian player? All rights reserved (About Us). Rodriguez had done well in the classroom and earned a scholarship offer to play volleyball at Purdue University. Unfortunately, the timing was poorly chosen, because it happened just a few weeks before school. As for SLED, as of Thursday afternoon the statewide agency had not received a formal request from any local or federal law enforcement agency or subdivision of the state to assist in any investigation related to Thornblade, per spokesman Tommy Crosby. 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. "Nobody wanted to spend the money once she got here. 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. He called her a "no-misser" talent-wise, but said "my heart goes out to the kid. NJ man had guns, ammo, fake marshal ID at airport: FBI, 'Havana syndrome' 'unlikely' caused by foreign adversary: US intel, Eli Lilly cuts insulin prices up to 70% amid pressure to slash costs. The turmoil weighed on Aquino, who confided in a teacher in 2015, according to the school report. The first one, a senior named Luis, knew the name of the cheating scandals mastermind. 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. "Yesterday we were made aware of an inappropriate post on social media made by students at Eastside High School," Davis told The Covington News. 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. 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. Its absurd.. But even after winning the MVP at a holiday tournament, Griles ignored him. Selwyn Rodriguez with Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico. One student, Bravo junior Andy Garcia, hadnt said much during the discussion. He formerly served as our interim president. Find NJ.com on Facebook. In her resignation letter teacher Lisa Abraham wrote, "Justyna stands up for each, individual student. All rights reserved. Authorities have arrested an unidentified 15-year-old in connection with the stabbing of two Paterson students at Eastside High School on Friday afternoon, which left one of the victims dead . We are disappointed that these students engaged in this inappropriate behavior. Father Heric remains our chaplain and community liaison. 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. We have now invited the administrators and faculty to rejoin us on the first day of school. 1 Union City. 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). More:Paterson Eastside High School basketball ban upheld by state commissioner, More:Paterson names new coach for Eastside girls basketball team, More:Michael Baker named boys basketball coach as Eastside looks to rebound from scandal. Since our first story on Thornblade ran last week, we have been bombarded with tips related to these various allegations. Given the broad investigatory powers this federal agency possesses when it comes to all manner of cybercrime there is literally no telling what facets of this saga it could be probing. 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. 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. ICE officials are in the process of interviewing officials and players. After a series of winning seasons and strong showings in the state tournaments, Eastsides girls and boys teams finished with losing records this year. Ejiofor said the Jordans "did (their) best to make sure I was okay and comfortable. "He was very intrigued and impressed with her level and quality of skills and wanted to speak more in depth with her and her family about the opportunity of a lifetime," the report said. Documents obtained by NJ Advance Mediashow discourse within the district as scandal barreled out of control. For now, however, he thinks about other opportunities he had after that big international tournament in 2011, and how his career might have been different had he never met Griles. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? 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.. But how do you know? "'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 . Blessing Ejiofor (left) and Andrea Aquino pose in a picture posted to Twitter in November 2015. NJSIAA officials say they will take action in wake of NJ Advance Media's reporting. COVINGTON, Ga. - Students at Eastside High School are under fire after a social media post went viral showing discriminatory and racial remarks and actions. Selwyn Rodriguez and Christian Ortiz started their odyssey in Puerto Rico. The video recording was sent via Snapchat to a lot of their buddies at Eastside Catholic and other Eastside high schools. Officials said Johnson has been using sick days she accumulated during her career with Paterson Public Schools, which started in 1979. unanswered questions in the Paterson basketball scandal, How scandal of overseas hoops players living with H.S. The school serves the city's Ironbound neighborhood. 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. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association said in a statement Friday it approved the . Andrea Aquino was treated like a curiosity in Caacupe, Paraguay, according to local coaches and an article on ESPN.com. Maybe that will ease his regrets. The game was held at Cherry Hill East High School, a neutral site for both teams. The girls parents are charged with paying $500,000 to get her and her sister admitted under the guise that they were recruits for Trojan crew. ", "Here I am sitting there watching her. Rick Singer how he was describing it, theres three ways to get into college, he said. Ejiofor said she was greeted by a man she had never met or heard of -- Ray Lyde Jr., the girls coach at Eastside. "She's obviously confused and doesn't understand what's going on. The college admissions cheating scandal is roiling some of Southern California's most elite prep schools, . Got a tip for a story? Thirteen faculty members quit in protest, most of them teachers. 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. The parents of an Eastside High School student accused a former tennis coach of having sexually inappropriate conversations with their teenage son on a cellphone he secretly gave the . Griles, the Rodriguezes said, then became a ghost, leaving the brothers to taxi to doctor's appointments in Fort Lee. *The (many!) *School suspends hoops coach who had 6 overseas players living with him. On Saturday morning at the Boyle Heights Beat, a student-run journalism operation, the hot topic was the college entrance cheating scandal and how . Even adults gawked and teased her, the ESPN article said. ASB. "You gotta call her coach and whoever. The school released the following statement Friday afternoon: "We made and announced administrative changes on August 2. Also, Evans had said the district would seek tenure charges against Griles in an effort to oust him from his teaching position at Eastside. 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. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com). The change was posted the day after the school had a meeting with parents. Legislation would ban buying, selling, makingor altering a transcript with the intent to deceive. 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 station is part of Cox Media Group Television. The high and mighty went as low as they could go, and it did not play well in Boyle Heights. Luis says he reads up on the college application process and what his peers say about their experiences. 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. "That's an even bigger responsibility when you're leaving home to play. 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. There are also blackmail allegations linked to the rumored prostitution/ sex ring. But the school district later decided not to pursue those charges. coach blew up. "No, I'm not her legal guardian," Ayala said when reached by phone earlier this year. Those fortunes changed when a man in her neighborhood snapped photos of Aquino and sent them to the Paraguay Basketball Federation, which invited herto train alongside the country's finest players in the nation's capital. Justice Wallace interviewed 29 people for his report -- 28 Patersonemployees and 1 current player. And that consensual sex acts between individuals of consenting age are, well, consensual.. ", *The key players in Eastside scandal, fallout. 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. "Who's going to respect a coach like him? The officials at the post office insisted it was left in a safe place. ", Said Edwin Rodriguez: "(Griles) basically put my sons' lives at risk putting them in this house with this drug addict. The districts action plan also created a policy requiring all students to register for school at the districts central headquarters. Griles, the Rodriguezes said, approached the family after Selwyn led Puerto Rico to the Under-17 championship in a 2011 Central America tournament. But Esteban, who admits crying when he read the first story about the Eastside scandal, said Selwyn was broken emotionally by Griles and couldn't wait to return to Puerto Rico after graduation in 2013. 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. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! As of this writing, we are told the internal investigation conducted by the Greenville sheriffs office into the deputys conduct is complete and that the local agency has no plans to investigate the matter further. Over the weekend, Shafer reached out to Mayor Andre Sayegh and Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale and was put in contact with . The now-deceased woman who owned the house, the brothers said, was a drug addict who regularly used while they were upstairs. 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. Coaches in other towns dont have to take a test on NJSIAA rules, he said. It's still unclear what sparked the altercation. 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. 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. And he regrets others who followed him encountered similar problems. 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. That the athletic directors job.. VIDEO: Eastside students disciplined after racist video leak, Newton-area residents earn degrees from Georgia State University, Newton, Alcovy, NCCA students earn top awards in District Science & Engineering Fair, Newton state lawmaker honors county school superintendent, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 2-3, 2021, Weekend Edition Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 30-31, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 6-7, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, June 12-13, 2021, Weekend Edition Saturday-Sunday, June 26-27, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, August 7-8, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, August 21-22, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, August 28-29, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, September 11-12, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, September 18-19, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 25-26, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 9-10, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 16-17, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, October 30-31, 2021, Wednesday Edition: Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 6-7, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 13-14, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, December 4-5, 2021, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 22-23, 2022, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 29-30, 2022, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 12-13, 2022, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 19-20, 2022, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, March 5-6, 2022, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, March 12-13, 2022, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, March 26-27, 2022, Weekend Edition: Saturday-Sunday, April 2-3, 2022, Weekend Edition, Saturday-Sunday, September 17-18, 2022, Fairview Elementary named National Beta School of Distinction. Paterson Eastside High's boys basketball team has been infused with talented players from Puerto Rico and Nigeria. Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez. As we exclusively reported on July 23, 2020, allegations ofserious financial irregularitiesatthe prestigiousThornblade Clubpromptedan investigationby the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) an agency with broad jurisdictional authority when it comes to cyber-enabled financial crimes.. All four ended up in Paterson, playing for the powerhouse teams at Eastside High School, . You pay him and youll get a guaranteed school.. Coaches from the powerhouse Paterson Eastside's boys basketball team served as legal guardians to six playersand had them living in their homes. Lopez is the author most recently of Independence Day: What I Learned About Retirement, From Some Whove Done It and Some Who Never Will. His book The Soloist, inspired by his columns on his relationship with a Juilliard-trained homeless person, was a Los Angeles Times and New York Times best-seller, winner of the PEN USA Literary Award for Non-Fiction, and the subject of a Dream Works movie by the same name. "We're not dumb people. Should they lose their jobs? State Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex) called on Attorney General Christopher Porrino to investigate Paterson Eastside. Thanks to our long history of educational excellence and deeply felt sense of mission, any change at Eastside Catholic invites high interest from our current and alumnae community. "Papi, if I don't leave this place soon, it'll drive me crazy," he told his father in a phone conversation. Griles, as has been the case since NJ Advance Media broke the story two months ago, did not return multiple calls for comment. Eastside Catholic later issued the following statement: "Thank you for your interest in our school. NJSIAA slams Eastside with unprecedented penalties, N.J. lawmakers take steps to halt phony transcripts like ones used at Eastside, Homeland Security joins probe, with eye on international pipeline, State athletics group orders hearing into Eastside, Ugly accusations tearthrough highest levels of school, State criminal investigators launch probe into Eastside, District busted budget on$90k Wallace report, NJSIAA announces new hearings to deal with Eastside fallout. School is supposed to start August 23, but on Friday the school confirmed classes will be postponed one week and start August 30. 2023 www.northjersey.com. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); "Americas government since 1989 from top to bottom has been Thornblade Saga: Internal Affairs Investigation At Greenville County Sheriffs Office, Charleston Democrats Fret Over Former Republican Seeking Local Office On Their Ticket, Washington DC Protesters Target Lindsey Graham Over Supreme Court Vote, #SC2018: James Smith Touts Poll Showing His Viability, Bamberg SC Detention Center Officer Arrested Following Alleged Assault On Inmate, Mark Powells Palmetto Past & Present: Lost Confederate Gold, Ron Paul: The Anti-War Movement Roars Back To Life. 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. Alberto Maldonado sat down with NJ Advance Media for a revealing and wide-ranging Q&A Tuesday. It didn't take long to realize the living situation wouldn't match the promises. But there are far more serious allegations being probed by agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)s special investigations unit including the alleged activities of a group of men who apparently refer to themselves as The Disciples.. Soon, he said, the coach began ostracizing him during practice. She believes that education- particularly the education of the Spirit- is not about politics, money, football.". "It was like he offered me heaven," Ortiz said. We had hope," said Selwyn's older brother, Esteban, who joined him in Paterson at their father's insistence. For most of the kids working at the Beat, getting accepted to college is only the first hurdle. EHS ASB. ", "The administrative changes were intended to support the board's vision for the school's future. 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! *State athletics group orders hearing into Eastside. Here's why. She had sprouted to 6-foot-7 by the time she was 15, the tallest girl many in her small village had ever seen. Now, through interviews with players, parents, coaches and other sources, NJ Advance Media can trace the remarkable circumstances under which players were recruited, lured and even hijacked to New Jersey. 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. This decision was announced in an email that was sent to our community last night. Selwyn tore his ACL in his very first game at Eastside. Our district prepared and addressed each step of the Corrective Action Plan,and as a result of our follow-up on each area, we have received several positive reports from the NJSIAA monitor regarding our current 2017-18 athletic programs, said Terry Corallo, the district spokeswoman. Off the court, Ejiofor said she lived in a home on East 22nd Street owned by Shirley Jordan, whose daughter, Natalie, is a district teacher and an Eastside track coach. Paterson school board President Oshin Castillo said the district has emphasized accountability among its staff members. Lyde also told Ugboaja the school could accept international students with I-20s, Ugboaja said. 2022-2023 School Year Calendar. The Paterson Public School District announced wide-ranging penalties to its athletics department. Andrea Aquino began her journey in Paraguay. For Andrea and fellow Boyle Heights Beat reporters, news of the $25-million college entrance racketeering scandal hit like a gut punch. "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. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com), *Season's over: Eastside boys pull out of Passaic County Tournament. The promises were the same he made Rodriguez, his future teammate. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. She said students had turned down offers that were close to free rides because they couldnt come up with the several thousand dollars still due. 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. "This is her cry for help.". In an interview, Ugboaja said officials at Evelyn Mack demanded money for room and board for Ejiofor and he refused. 701. Andrea Galdmez apologized for arriving a few minutes late. Camden was leading Eastside 30-17. 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. Finally, Evans had said that one of Eastsides principals, Karen Johnson, would not be disciplined because she was going to retire. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The USSS and HSI investigations are ongoing. And Blessing Ejioforlanded in the U.S. on the fast track to college, via Nigeria, but her dreams were crushed by the adults she trusted most. LAPD Deputy Chief Gerald Woodyard said LAPD narcotics detectives working with the Long Beach-based Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents recovered 82 firearms, including 42 ghost guns used by the Eastside Wilmas gang, along with 19 pounds of methamphetamine, 5 pounds of cocaine and 3 kilograms of fentanyl. According to our sources, most of the initial speculation has centered around Eastside High School in Taylors, S.C. and perhaps one other nearby school in the South Carolina government-run system. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. She said she had secured a student visa and Form I-20, which had been signed by officials at the North Carolina school. A video posted on social media shows fans, players and coaches rushing the court. So far, there has been no official acknowledgement of the seismic, sexually charged side of this investigation by anyone in law enforcement. But Esteban, who admits crying when he read the first story about the Eastside scandal, said Selwyn was . He plays wheelchair basketball, he said, hoping for a scholarship. *Hoops power packs roster from overseas; state questions safety of teens living with coach.
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