The Paterson Public School District suspended the Eastside High School boys basketball coach and his top assistant Monday, hours after NJ Advance Media published an investigation revealing Juan Griles had as many as six overseas players living with him.
Citing “new information” regarding the team, the district also moved to retain John Wallace, a former New Jersey Supreme Court justice, as monitor for all district athletic programs. Wallace will be charged with investigating the matter, making appropriate policy and personnel recommendations and ensuring compliance the rest of the year, a district spokeswoman said in an email sent to NJ Advance Media shortly after 5 p.m.
Hoops power packs roster from overseas; state questions safety of teens
Effective immediately, Griles is suspended with pay from his position as a teacher coordinator at Eastside and without pay as head coach, the district said. Griles’ assistant coach Alberto Maldonado — a part-time and untenured employee — was suspended without pay.
The powerhouse team’s coaching duties will be reassigned, but the district did not say who will take over.
“The district takes this matter very seriously, especially as it pertains to the well-being of our students,” district spokeswoman Terry Corallo said in a statement.
Over the course of four mornings in late January and as recently as Thursday, NJ Advance Media observed between five and six Eastside basketball players leaving the 922-square foot condominium of Griles in the city. Four of the boys listed Griles, 50, as their legal guardian and claimed his condo as their primary address, according to student profiles in a district database obtained by NJ Advance Media. The two other players listed Maldonado as their guardian.
Three of the players are from Puerto Rico and the three others are originally from Nigeria, according to student profiles and sources within the school district. Those sources spoke to NJ Advance Media on the condition they not be identified, fearful of retaliation within the district. Many of those same sources had also expressed concern about the health and well-being of the boys.
The state Division of Child Protection and Permanency is investigating the whereabouts and safety of the teenagers, how they arrived in Paterson and who has legal custody, according to sources familiar with the matter. The state agency got involved when a player complained that Griles did not provide enough food in the house and that dinner was spaghetti for “a whole two weeks.” The district, in its statement, confirmed it would be working with DCPP.
NJSIAA demands answers from Eastside
Earlier Monday, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, the state’s governing body for high school sports, requested “a full accounting to assess the eligibility of various student-athletes” from Eastside. Larry White, an NJSIAA assistant director in-charge of eligibility issues, said the organization is investigating to see if Eastside violated any state rules regarding recruiting, athletic advantage transfers and coaching protocol. The district also said it would cooperate with the NJSIAA probe.
The situation at Eastside sparked interest in several corners Monday after NJ Advance Media published its investigation. While the players’ immigration and guardianship status remains murky, others seized on the fact the transfer students were taking opportunities away from natives of Paterson.
Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex) was among those. Codey called the “whole situation outrageous” and implored the state’s acting education commissioner to investigate.
“The alleged actions of the coach fly in the face of all principles of fair competition and good sportsmanship,” Codey said in a statement released to NJ Advance Media. “The players, who were brought to Paterson to gain competitive advantage for the school’s team, are taking away places from the boys who grew up in Paterson their whole lives.”
Codey went on to describe the situation at Eastside as “a misuse of state funds.”
Paterson Public Schools spent $15,629 per student in 2015-16, the latest year state data is available, not including debt service, pension and social security payments made by the state or other costs not associated with an individual student. About 80 percent of the school district’s overall funding comes from the state, not city taxpayers.
“This is not only unethical, but it is an abuse of taxpayer money given that the Paterson school district is mostly state-funded,” Codey said. “At a time when we are trying to address fairness in school funding for New Jersey’s school districts, we cannot allow any abuse of taxpayer money.”
Eastside currently has a 14-2 record and is ranked No. 17 in the NJ.com statewide poll. The Ghosts also have the most power points and are in line for the top seed in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 bracket, with state tournament seeding set for Thursday.
Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
