Agree with that. What would you call a decision unanimously approving a contract extension and raise for a superintendent embroiled in this type of mess a full two years before the original contract was due to expire? Malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, idiotfeasance? Perhaps a suit might provide a quicker resolution than the next scheduled trips to the ballot box sufficient to oust all the members responsible.
Hayfield
- Thread starter OCBoy
- Start date
Found this letter in a Facebook group
November 20, 2024
Dear FCPS Community,
I am writing to address the continued — and troubling — misinformation being shared regarding this high school football season, and more specifically about the Hayfield Hawks football team. I also want to share with you our plan moving forward regarding this situation.
Let me begin by saying that all of our coaches, our school leaders, our community, and the Virginia High School League (VHSL) share a commitment to the success of our student athletes. We want our students to have passion for their sport and to play every game with integrity and sportsmanship above all else.
The VHSL is an important organization that has the tremendous responsibility of overseeing high school sports and other competitions across the Commonwealth. We appreciate the work they do, but in this situation, we share the frustration that many of our staff and families are feeling.
In August of this year, VHSL deemed eligible every player who has played this season on the Hayfield Hawks football team. Two months later, the VHSL declared the entire team ineligible for postseason play without any specific evidence of recruiting or other violations. Coaches, athletes, parents, and fans are frustrated by the circumstances that their teams are in now, because of the ambiguities within the VHSL’s rules and policies.
Last week, these inconsistencies were confirmed by the Fairfax County Circuit Court judge who, after a nearly two-hour hearing, ruled that Hayfield football could play in the postseason and that VHSL had violated its own rules by imposing a two-year ban. FCPS and Hayfield Secondary School are not parties to this litigation, but we will comply with the court ruling and allow Hayfield football to play in the postseason.
Last night, at their request, I met with coaches and principals whose school communities have been most directly impacted by this situation. During this productive meeting, we focused on our common goal to keep our student athletes at the center of any next steps. I have been clear that we will not find ourselves in this situation again.
To that end, and to minimize the potential of future questions or concerns, and to restore public trust, I have outlined the next steps we will be taking as a Division to ensure that our standards for student-athlete eligibility are clear and aligned moving forward. These steps include:
A comprehensive and independent external investigation and review of all student athlete transfers and eligibility practices across all sports and in all of our high schools.
A review and revision, where necessary, to FCPS athletic protocols and procedures. Led by the Office of Student Activities and Athletics programs, and in partnership with coaches and administrators, this will include a divisionwide review of current practices in evaluating student athlete transfers both inside and outside of the Division.
Alongside our Executive Director of Student Activities and Athletics, I will be hosting two Community Conversations, one for our schools in Class 6 Region C and one for our schools in Class 6 Region D, regarding our athletic regulations and practices. We’ll be sharing more information about those meetings soon and hope you will attend.
We also stand ready to work with the VHSL to improve their policies and processes on student-athlete eligibility. It is vital that we collaborate with everyone involved to ensure we are preparing for the evolution of the student-athlete experience that we are seeing in our country. As we navigate uncharted waters ahead in youth athletics, we must anchor our practices in clear rules and accountability systems that apply to all regardless of circumstances. Access to excellence and opportunity — that is the American dream.
Warmest Regards,
Image
Dr. Michelle C. Reid
Superintendent
November 20, 2024
Dear FCPS Community,
I am writing to address the continued — and troubling — misinformation being shared regarding this high school football season, and more specifically about the Hayfield Hawks football team. I also want to share with you our plan moving forward regarding this situation.
Let me begin by saying that all of our coaches, our school leaders, our community, and the Virginia High School League (VHSL) share a commitment to the success of our student athletes. We want our students to have passion for their sport and to play every game with integrity and sportsmanship above all else.
The VHSL is an important organization that has the tremendous responsibility of overseeing high school sports and other competitions across the Commonwealth. We appreciate the work they do, but in this situation, we share the frustration that many of our staff and families are feeling.
In August of this year, VHSL deemed eligible every player who has played this season on the Hayfield Hawks football team. Two months later, the VHSL declared the entire team ineligible for postseason play without any specific evidence of recruiting or other violations. Coaches, athletes, parents, and fans are frustrated by the circumstances that their teams are in now, because of the ambiguities within the VHSL’s rules and policies.
Last week, these inconsistencies were confirmed by the Fairfax County Circuit Court judge who, after a nearly two-hour hearing, ruled that Hayfield football could play in the postseason and that VHSL had violated its own rules by imposing a two-year ban. FCPS and Hayfield Secondary School are not parties to this litigation, but we will comply with the court ruling and allow Hayfield football to play in the postseason.
Last night, at their request, I met with coaches and principals whose school communities have been most directly impacted by this situation. During this productive meeting, we focused on our common goal to keep our student athletes at the center of any next steps. I have been clear that we will not find ourselves in this situation again.
To that end, and to minimize the potential of future questions or concerns, and to restore public trust, I have outlined the next steps we will be taking as a Division to ensure that our standards for student-athlete eligibility are clear and aligned moving forward. These steps include:
A comprehensive and independent external investigation and review of all student athlete transfers and eligibility practices across all sports and in all of our high schools.
A review and revision, where necessary, to FCPS athletic protocols and procedures. Led by the Office of Student Activities and Athletics programs, and in partnership with coaches and administrators, this will include a divisionwide review of current practices in evaluating student athlete transfers both inside and outside of the Division.
Alongside our Executive Director of Student Activities and Athletics, I will be hosting two Community Conversations, one for our schools in Class 6 Region C and one for our schools in Class 6 Region D, regarding our athletic regulations and practices. We’ll be sharing more information about those meetings soon and hope you will attend.
We also stand ready to work with the VHSL to improve their policies and processes on student-athlete eligibility. It is vital that we collaborate with everyone involved to ensure we are preparing for the evolution of the student-athlete experience that we are seeing in our country. As we navigate uncharted waters ahead in youth athletics, we must anchor our practices in clear rules and accountability systems that apply to all regardless of circumstances. Access to excellence and opportunity — that is the American dream.
Warmest Regards,
Image
Dr. Michelle C. Reid
Superintendent
Can any Fairfax citizens speak to the authenticity of this letter? Thanks for sharing Phoebus Fan.
Can confirm it is legit. It’s now on the FCPS website. Here it is.
I feel sorry for Edison. Overton really doesn’t belong coaching in public schools. I’m not sure what the requirements are, but if possible, teams in their league should refuse to play them.
Actually, all of that sounds like your feelings. School boards hire and fire good and bad Superintendent all the time. This woman wasn't convicted of a crime or anything. I am anti-Hayfield in general, but blaming the school board with legal criminality seems misplaced.
It is very strange that the Superintendent said the VHSL approved all their players before the season. That is not how eligibility lists are usually drawn up. I find it hard to believe the VHSL personally approved all their players before the season. She also leaves out a lot of things the judge said in the ruling.
You're right that there are feelings involved. Not hurt feelings as much as the long held feelings that accountability, responsibility and oversight are integral parts for leadership positions be they board or senior management roles.
The legal angle I referenced wasn't as much about criminality as it was about getting resolution as expeditiously as possible. After reading the Superintendent's letter those feelings mentioned earlier of accountability, responsibility and oversight are even more prevalent. Her letter raised more questions than it answered, in my opinion, and seemed more like another attempt to shift blame and/or dismiss the situation akin to the first FCPS investigation. It will be interesting, gain in my opinion, to see the reaction of the public to that letter. Thank you for your service as a school board member, a tough and often thankless job, but, extremely important to be done well and for your earlier reply and the food for thought it provided.
If my memory is correct, it's up to each school to collect the transfer info & determine eligibility. Then, if it's found out to be false, it's up to each school district to sanction that school? VHSL seems only to recommend the sanctions? For Ocean Lakes, I believe VB School admin sanctioned Chris Scott. Not sure the VHSL got involved at all. But, I was surprised that their 2014 title wasn't forfeited. Hat it been back then, I don't think things would have gotten to this point?
SO the 6 coaches of the other 6C teams (Mt Vernon abstained I guess) have done the right thing and decided to play. Thus making them the first adults to do what is best for their kids in this whole fiasco. Many folks should be updating resume's at this point.
...so what is the over/under on Hayfield putting triple digits up tonite against Edison? My opinion is better than 50/50 if Edison doesn't use the running clock delay of game strategy.
A Mount Vernon parent representative said they stand in solidarity with the other schools and were prepared to boycott.
If you are the Edison coach, at what point do you start taking endless delay of game penalties? 30, 40, 80?
If Hayfield's coaching staff is dumb enough to try and run up the score with everything that is surrounding this, I would let them try. The last thing they should be trying to do with this controversy is make it worse and bring more attention to it.
You are correct. The League doesn’t determine if a student is eligible, the school has that sole responsibility. The requirement is to submit a MEL before a deadline for each sport.
Thanks for the article. It points up the absurdity of the entire situation. It also calls in to question the truthfulness, completeness and motives of the letter by the Superintendent dated 11/20/24 and fitness to continue in that job, in my opinion.
Susie’s mom should’ve been made to pickup trash too!
Honestly, that's even more sad. Is there even a single "homegrown" student athlete on the team? I seriously don't know....that's an insane situation. I think THAT situation laid the groundwork for proving the VHSL was powerless, just figurehead...another wasted government $$$ pit at this point.
Allowing the schools to self police and self report is the biggest joke in the process. Depending on EVERYONE in the chain to have integrity and a good clean, clear conscience is a mistake at every level. Not in todays society.
The School Boards "new" law firm wrote this letter, she signed it....crawfishing, damage control letter, kicking the can down the road. It's a cute effort. This energy should have been displayed earlier in the year if you look at the timeline of events. They missed the opportunity...no, not missed, the self policing policy ALLOWED them to blow it off. That's the real issue here.
It happened...I'm actually fine with them playing in the playoffs this year. Those kids earned it. It's not their fault the adults played the system. We shouldn't be in the position of punishing the kids for the actions of adults and their overinflated egos.
What about the kids on the teams that have to play them? It’s not apples to apples if the other teams play by the rules and one does not. Lots of collateral damage here.,,
If they win, there will always be an asterisk by them. The legend will say they were cheaters.
I agree...but the VHSL failed them in my estimation. There's no easy resolution at this point.
