A Texas school board has moved towards firing a principal over claims he pushed critical theory after he raised eyebrows over an intimate Facebook photoshoot with his wife.
On Monday, the Grapevine Colleyville Independent School District school board unanimously voted 7-0 for the non-renewal of Colleyville Heritage High School principal Dr. James Whitfield's contract.
It is the first step in a two-step process that could see Whitfield lose his job. He will now be forced to publicly defend his position before a final vote is held on whether he should remain as principal.
Whitfield was placed on paid administrative leave in August after a former school board candidate accused him of teaching and promoting critical race theory. Concerns were also raised from the district about a decade-old beachside photoshoot he took with his wife for a previously anniversary.
They were snapped enjoying an intimate - but fully clothed - outdoor embrace for a shoot with a professional photographer and sparked concerns after they were uncovered on his Facebook profile.
Whitfield, (pictured) who has denied promoting Critical Race Theory, addressed the board on Monday to defend his record as a teacher
Whitfield said concerns were raised from the district about a beachside photoshoot he took with his wife for their anniversary a decade ago
At the meeting, district officials listed the reasons for their vote as performance concerns, attempting to hide public records from discovery, and failure to comply with official directives, CBS DFW reported.
District officials also said Whitfield failed to meet the district's standards of professional conduct by voicing his concerns on social media and to the media. And they said that he'd diminished his effectiveness 'by dividing large sections of the community by continuing to raise issues of Critical Race Theory.'
Whitfield, who has denied promoting CRT, addressed the board on Monday to defend himself.
'I believe every student regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, whatever bucket you want to put them in.. I believe they should have access to excellent equitable education,' Whitfield said. 'Yes, I said those words. Unfortunately, my unapologetic stance for those things has brought us here tonight which is disheartening.'
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Prior to Monday's meeting Whitfield was seen hugging students who showed up him
Prior to Monday's meeting Whitfield was seen hugging students and supporters who showed up to back him.
'It's honestly so undeserved and unjust on the part of the school board,' Colleyville Heritage senior Grace Nguyen told CBS DFW.
'It's been an overall negative effect and a lot of people in this district have felt as if something has shifted and it's not for the better,' senior Sunehra Chowdhury said.
