Post by Coyote Pack Attack on Nov 6, 2012 11:11:41 GMT -6
The 32-4A District Executive Committee has called an emergency meeting scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to hear “clarification” from Edcouch-Elsa football of allegations made on Oct. 13 that the Yellowjackets used an ineligible player in two games earlier this season.
This comes five days after the UIL’s State Executive Committee delivered a harsh punishment on E-E — including suspension of head coach Joe Solis for the remainder of this football season, forfeiture of all non-district games and three-year probation — after it found the ‘Jackets guilty of violating the eight-hour practice rule in Week 0.
DEC chairman Michael Uribe, also the head football coach at Mercedes, said the committee was notified via an email sent on Oct. 13 by a “very concerned Edcouch-Elsa parent” that the football program allegedly used an ineligible player in a loss to Mission High on Oct. 5 and a win against Mission Veterans Memorial on Oct. 12. The parent provided in the email a copy of what the parent says is the student-athlete’s failing grade after the first six-week period.
When those two games were played, it is being said by the parent that a failing grade was in the system for the student-athlete.
On Oct. 15, a Monday, Uribe said he alerted Edcouch-Elsa administration of the parent’s email and, as is protocol by the UIL, gave it 10 days to respond to the issue. But since then, the Yellowjackets have not responded, and when Uribe returned from Austin last week after representing the DEC when Edcouch-Elsa convened with the SEC on Wednesday, he made it a point to follow-up and see where things were in this particular matter.
The matter was brought up by the UIL in last week’s session, and Uribe confirmed on Thursday the SEC ordered Edcouch-Elsa to report to it the findings of its investigation into this matter in 10 days. That stands separate from the DEC’s scheduled meeting and review of the situation on Wednesday, when Edcouch-Elsa is expected to present to it its response to the allegations.
“We’ve had no communication and no response (from Edcouch-Elsa) in regard to these allegations, so we want clarification on these allegations,” Uribe said. “They’ve been given sufficient time to report.”
On Oct. 15, Solis said the ineligible player allegation was a “clerical error.” He said he considered the matter “out of his hands.”
“The kid played because he had passed,” Solis said on Oct. 15. “The passing grade he should have gotten was probably not downloaded into the computer. It has been confirmed that he was passing.”
However, it has been learned that the grades were changed after what is known in educational circles as a “grace period,” meaning it is legal to change a recorded grade but there is a process that one must abide by in order to do so.
It is required by the UIL that the superintendent of the member school provide the DEC full disclosure of a student’s grade change anytime it is altered after the aforementioned grace period. Edcouch-Elsa did not adhere to that process.
“There has been no communication with the DEC,” Uribe said of the Yellowjackets’ role in the matter.
Solis and Edcouch-Elsa ISD superintendent Frank Perez were not available for comment on Monday. Edcouch-Elsa ISD attorney Gus Acevedo said he is meeting this morning with Perez to get caught up on the situation, but he had no further comment on Monday.
The glitch here is that Edcouch-Elsa is under probation. The DEC put the program under probation on Sept. 25 as part of its own decision in response to the eight-hour rule allegations brought up by a parent. When Edcouch-Elsa appealed to the SEC, the SEC then placed Solis and the program on a maximum three-year probation on Oct. 31.
If the Yellowjackets are indeed found guilty of using an ineligible player, penalties could consequently be more strict than usual since they are under probation.
The primary point of concern, however, is that Nov. 10 is the deadline for district certification for 32-4A. If Edcouch-Elsa is found guilty, it would make for a rushed decision. Time would no longer be on anyone’s side, as the UIL constitution rules state that if a district knowingly certifies a team that uses an ineligible player, then the state has the right to disqualify the entire district from postseason qualification.
The student-athlete involved in this matter has played in every game since the allegations were brought up. That consists of games at PSJA Southwest, versus Mercedes and at Valley View. The Yellowjackets — who clinched a postseason berth last week and could even finish in a three-way tie for the district title should Mercedes beat Mission on Thursday — close the district season on Friday at home against Rio Grande City.
A couple of things...
1. Sounds to me like Uribe put this in his back pocket just in case EE got off for the 8 hr practice rule break.
2. sounds like Mercedes doesnt want an FB meeting but would take their chances with Alice.
3. EE coaches would win at any cost...sad
4. the only people who love EE are EE residence..gesh even some parents hate em...
5. Bring it Valley..Alice is ready who ever you throw our way
This comes five days after the UIL’s State Executive Committee delivered a harsh punishment on E-E — including suspension of head coach Joe Solis for the remainder of this football season, forfeiture of all non-district games and three-year probation — after it found the ‘Jackets guilty of violating the eight-hour practice rule in Week 0.
DEC chairman Michael Uribe, also the head football coach at Mercedes, said the committee was notified via an email sent on Oct. 13 by a “very concerned Edcouch-Elsa parent” that the football program allegedly used an ineligible player in a loss to Mission High on Oct. 5 and a win against Mission Veterans Memorial on Oct. 12. The parent provided in the email a copy of what the parent says is the student-athlete’s failing grade after the first six-week period.
When those two games were played, it is being said by the parent that a failing grade was in the system for the student-athlete.
On Oct. 15, a Monday, Uribe said he alerted Edcouch-Elsa administration of the parent’s email and, as is protocol by the UIL, gave it 10 days to respond to the issue. But since then, the Yellowjackets have not responded, and when Uribe returned from Austin last week after representing the DEC when Edcouch-Elsa convened with the SEC on Wednesday, he made it a point to follow-up and see where things were in this particular matter.
The matter was brought up by the UIL in last week’s session, and Uribe confirmed on Thursday the SEC ordered Edcouch-Elsa to report to it the findings of its investigation into this matter in 10 days. That stands separate from the DEC’s scheduled meeting and review of the situation on Wednesday, when Edcouch-Elsa is expected to present to it its response to the allegations.
“We’ve had no communication and no response (from Edcouch-Elsa) in regard to these allegations, so we want clarification on these allegations,” Uribe said. “They’ve been given sufficient time to report.”
On Oct. 15, Solis said the ineligible player allegation was a “clerical error.” He said he considered the matter “out of his hands.”
“The kid played because he had passed,” Solis said on Oct. 15. “The passing grade he should have gotten was probably not downloaded into the computer. It has been confirmed that he was passing.”
However, it has been learned that the grades were changed after what is known in educational circles as a “grace period,” meaning it is legal to change a recorded grade but there is a process that one must abide by in order to do so.
It is required by the UIL that the superintendent of the member school provide the DEC full disclosure of a student’s grade change anytime it is altered after the aforementioned grace period. Edcouch-Elsa did not adhere to that process.
“There has been no communication with the DEC,” Uribe said of the Yellowjackets’ role in the matter.
Solis and Edcouch-Elsa ISD superintendent Frank Perez were not available for comment on Monday. Edcouch-Elsa ISD attorney Gus Acevedo said he is meeting this morning with Perez to get caught up on the situation, but he had no further comment on Monday.
The glitch here is that Edcouch-Elsa is under probation. The DEC put the program under probation on Sept. 25 as part of its own decision in response to the eight-hour rule allegations brought up by a parent. When Edcouch-Elsa appealed to the SEC, the SEC then placed Solis and the program on a maximum three-year probation on Oct. 31.
If the Yellowjackets are indeed found guilty of using an ineligible player, penalties could consequently be more strict than usual since they are under probation.
The primary point of concern, however, is that Nov. 10 is the deadline for district certification for 32-4A. If Edcouch-Elsa is found guilty, it would make for a rushed decision. Time would no longer be on anyone’s side, as the UIL constitution rules state that if a district knowingly certifies a team that uses an ineligible player, then the state has the right to disqualify the entire district from postseason qualification.
The student-athlete involved in this matter has played in every game since the allegations were brought up. That consists of games at PSJA Southwest, versus Mercedes and at Valley View. The Yellowjackets — who clinched a postseason berth last week and could even finish in a three-way tie for the district title should Mercedes beat Mission on Thursday — close the district season on Friday at home against Rio Grande City.
A couple of things...
1. Sounds to me like Uribe put this in his back pocket just in case EE got off for the 8 hr practice rule break.
2. sounds like Mercedes doesnt want an FB meeting but would take their chances with Alice.
3. EE coaches would win at any cost...sad
4. the only people who love EE are EE residence..gesh even some parents hate em...
5. Bring it Valley..Alice is ready who ever you throw our way