FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools Dr. Michelle Reid is responding to criticism about the football recruiting scandal that launched the district into national scrutiny.
There's expected to be an independent investigation into allegations that Hayfield Secondary School administrators and head football coach Darryl Overton violated recruiting policies. In a joint letter, three school board members revealed out of the 31 kids recruited, 14 came from Overton’s old school in Woodbridge.
There have been more calls for accountability from community members and school board members who demanded an outside law firm take over the investigation.
“Our intent is to try to get ahead of situations moving forward, so, I welcome to have that expansive external review at this time and when I met with our football coaches the other evening, it's something they had hoped for,” Reid told WUSA9.
Dr. Reid said she first learned of the allegations in late spring but didn’t say exactly when.
She said text messages from Hayfield athletic director Monty Fritts, which recently surfaced by Fairfax County Times, elevated concerns. The questionable text messages suggest Fritts knew Overton would be recruiting from other schools.
Fritts resigned from his position on Monday.
Reid said he was interviewed by school officials several times after the text messages were introduced to them in a meeting with coaches last month. She wouldn’t disclose exactly what was discussed and his exact reasoning, citing personnel matters.
Following the messages, Hayfield chose to withdraw from the playoffs.
The Virginia High School League recommended a two-year ban against Hayfield because it said the school broke recruiting rules. However, a judge stopped it from happening.
Reid and the school system are being criticized over the handling of the allegations, including an internal review followed by an investigation by former Chief Deputy Attorney General Cynthia Hudson that found no wrongdoings.
School board member Mateo Dunne said despite calling for an external investigation in August; it was voted down.
Reid suggests they relied on the information from the initial reviews.
“I think that the initial investigation, which included over 400 hours of staff time, was reviewed externally by Ms. Hudson, and in her review, I believe the review at the time stood,” Reid added.
WUSA9’s Matthew Torres asked Reid: “Do you still back findings of that internal review that said there was nothing to substantiate the claims at that time?”
Reid replied, “I asked for an external review at that time, and we brought in Cynthia Hudson to review all the facts related to the investigation and determine if any of those could be substantiated. We put in a lot of faith in her review of the investigation and her review indicated that there were no allegations substantiated.
Torres asked: “But then you have the Virginia High School League that recommended they be banned. Why is there a discrepancy?”
Reid replied, “I think the discrepancy is a great question and one of the questions that will be answered by the expansive external review."
Reid said at the time of the first investigation, it was determined the students were eligible to play.
The topic will likely be discussed again at the next school board meeting on Thursday.