Controversy in basketball program at high school program

[tornado]

AZ, I know you are being a little cynical..but do you know this...
a really BIG percentage of the growth in Dunlap has been among "minorities"!!

Yup -- in just the past two decades, Dunlap's population and the enrollment in their schools has skyrocketed......
the presumption among many is that all the new people are all white...but that is NOT true....

the growth includes many African-Americans and a surprisingly large number of Asian-Americans who are choosing Dunlap BECAUSE of their excellent schools and their diversity & tolerance...
The district's minority enrollment is now right at about 30-31%
But, of course, this never gets mentioned by the media...

this is way more diverse than some schools in Peoria and East Peoria and yet they have the highest standard testing of any area school!
Metamora (91.3% white), Morton (92.3% white) and Canton (95% white) are way less "diverse" than Dunlap.

[FortyTwo]

According to the 2014 school report card, the Dunlap school district is 69.7% white, 17.1% asian and 5.9% black. Can't speak to the racial climate in decades past, but I currently live there and have kids in the district. I can say with a lot of confidence that I've never seen or heard any talk of racism. i would go as far as to say it may be the most blended school district in the area. This feels like 100% nepotism, with the race card thrown down in a very negligent manner.

[AZ BU Fan]

Sarcastic, Not Cynical! :-)

AZ, I know you are being a little cynical..

Allow me to put my tongue further in my cheek.

Cynical, no, best described as satirical!

My take on this discussion is nepotism, someone in power wanted their kid to play HS BB at Dunlap and made it happen over the objection of the head coach.

Happens all the time around the country, white, black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Bosnian kids, makes no difference. The concept of helping out junior, because you have the power to, is not a new one.

All the diversity and racism smoke appears to be just a cover for what happened. Hence the robe and hood joke of Dunlap... PS I am a former Dunlap area resident before seeing the light (heat?) and retiring to Phx area!

All Dunlap HS supporters care about is WINNING.... Don't care who can help the program be successful.

[tornado]

after playing the race card in her initial and only column on this topic at Dunlap (hit & run style), now Pam Adams has gone back into hiding as I expected she would...

Reminiscent of Phil Theobald alleging that Jim Les cheats and plays by the unethical/expedient route - then he retires and they pretend he never said it so they don't have to defend such a horrible slam

[mvcfan]

Boy never thought a "Poor Jimmy" reference would make it into a thread with nothing to do with him. Wait nevermind...

Also I'm sure many people of all race are getting out of Peoria if it is financially feasible for them. Good school and still get to be in Peoria without dealing with the violence.

[FlyingSpaghettiMonster]

Did you play another sport or did I read your post wrong?

Different sport. I'm was a lot better at other sports. Several of my good friends did play for Barker.

[Buesch N Chips]

I agree Buesch - and I wonder why the PJS writer Pam Adams even needed to mention the race of any of the parties

There is a problem with our theory. The prez's kid is a junior, I hear.

[tornado]

The player re-instated is not the Board President's son, it is a different kid who was previously cut

[Chico]

I agree Buesch - and I wonder why the PJS writer Pam Adams even needed to mention the race of any of the parties

How else is she going to stir things up?

[tornado]

Ya kinda knew this was coming - it actually surprises me it took this long..

...a Pam Adams followup -- but it took 3 months and very little detail except he does comment on the African-American player in question...

Dunlap HS (IL) basketball coach Jeff Barker "resigned" today...

"The resignation, effectively immediately .. is an outgrowth of an earlier dispute between Barker and his superiors
over an African-American player Barker said he was forced to add to the team. Barker said he was also mandated
to make sure the student played during a game."

"...Barker wrote in his resignation letter, "..In reality, the African-American player in question was physically
and mentally incapable of participating on the team."

http://www.pjstar.com/news/20160307/dunlap-boys-basketball-coach-resigns?utm_content=bufferb2d00&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[wily coyote]

Ya kinda knew this was coming - it actually surprises me it took this long..

...a Pam Adams followup -- but it took 3 months and very little detail except he does comment on the African-American player in question...

Dunlap HS (IL) basketball coach Jeff Barker "resigned" today...

"The resignation, effectively immediately .. is an outgrowth of an earlier dispute between Barker and his superiors
over an African-American player Barker said he was forced to add to the team. Barker said he was also mandated
to make sure the student played during a game."

"...Barker wrote in his resignation letter, "..In reality, the African-American player in question was physically
and mentally incapable of participating on the team."

http://www.pjstar.com/news/20160307/...ampaign=buffer

Doesn't surprise me one bit. What a sorry state the Dunlap program is in. Good fricking luck getting someone to take that job. Good coaches wouldn't touch that job with a ten foot pole.

[Da Coach]

Wow, good thing Bradley doesn't have any meddling by the administration in the decisions that should be made by the basketball coach.

[tornado]

wait- you mean it isn't routine for an administrator or president to routinely tell the coach who to recruit, who to play, and who to hire as his assistants?
I had come to think that was pretty darned common and routine...

[Buesch N Chips]

Difficult situation. I think almost all coaches should be (and are) allowed to run their programs. But, I think we would all agree some HS coaches are *****s. I'm not speaking of this guy in particular, I don't know anything about him. But it's not out of the realm of possibility that the coach was wrong, and his administration was trying to help him become a better coach.

[Chico]

If so they are in the wrong profession. Should be coaches. Good luck Coach.