The Paterson school board’s come down hard on Eastside High for stocking the basketball rosters with international players, then allegedly treating them in ways that drew accusations of human trafficking. NJTV News Correspondent David Cruz spoke with Anchor Mary Alice Williams about last night’s contentious meeting.
Williams: What happened, David?
Cruz: Yeah, it was the Board of Ed. Six kids in all on the basketball team were living in the head coach’s two-bedroom apartment and the coach registered as their official guardian. Last night the board took action firing and terminating several individuals. Fired yesterday was the Athletic Director Greg Cooper, the boys’ basketball Head Coach Juan Griles, his assistant Alberto Maldonado and the registration Department Assistant Patty Granados. Also suspended, the girls’ head basketball coach Ray Lyde.
Williams: Now, a former state Supreme Court Justice John Wallace was brought in to review policies and procedures not at Eastside, but system-wide. What’s become of that?
Cruz: The action that was taken yesterday was based on that report. We have it here — it was finally released today. The executive summary listed several recommendations. We have a few here including that coaches must now alert principals and superintendents when they become a students’ guardian or have students stay with them. All students now have to register at central registration offices, as opposed to back to school which is a way to kind of skirt things. And then all athletic personnel have to be retrained now with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association bylaws, the rules and regulations of that agency.
Williams: They were violated presumably?
Cruz: Yeah, and saying that they didn’t know.
Williams: You know, this is a huge comedown for Eastside High, which is a major historic school.
Cruz: Yeah it is. It’s a storied program in Paterson. Some of its graduates include Essence Carson who is in the WNBA now. Larry Doby, major league hall of famer. Allen Ginsberg, your favorite, Fetty Wap, also Bernie Craig. But also lesser known individuals like physicist Joseph Weber who was the developer of the laser and Christos Cotsakos who is the former chairman of the board and CEO of E*Trade. He’s also a graduate from Eastside.
Williams: And the basketball program was shut down for the year?
Cruz: The basketball program ended early. They were in the playoffs. The losers in these situations are the kids.