Unethical Practices Continue Despite New Leadership
The resignation of John Elmore occurred under a veil of secrecy, with parents signing a petition to remove him as some Board Members continued to express their devotion to his leadership. It was only after a middle school student made aggressive threats of violence towards faculty that they finally took action. According to our sources, this incident was far worse than what was disclosed to the public, with the former Head of School being investigated by authorities for ignoring these threats while attempting to hide details showcasing his mishandling of the serious safety risk.
Brenda Jackson was promptly brought out of retirement to temporarily fill this void while a new Head of School was recruited. However, the Board still did not acknowledge any wrongdoing or issue a public apology. A month ago, we learned that John Elmore had been hired as the new Head of School for Wakefield Country Day School in Huntly, Virginia. The report highlighted the extensive search that was undertaken to find a new head, even stating:
“Throughout the process, Mr. Elmore distinguished himself. He has an exceptional record as a school leader and is an educator of great personal integrity.”
How could they conclude that John Elmore was a man of “great personal integrity” given his involvement in the recent scandals at O’Neal? Unfathomably, The O’Neal School leadership appeared to give John a glowing recommendation. This action not only revealed the true extent of their deception but also helped place Elmore back into a position of authority over children.
In our previous article, “Setting the Bar Even Lower,” we detailed the events leading up to a swim meet in January of this year. After this website launched and the Stefanik family’s story was revealed, the administration decided to block the Stefanik’s child from competing in a swim meet on The O’Neal School campus as a member of a visiting swim team. Multiple communications with the administration at O’Neal had previously confirmed the athlete’s ability to attend and participate in the meet. It was only after the story broke that the school decided to restrict access to the facilities on their campus. This decision was not due to any security threat, police report, or record of violence, but was instead made in retaliation for the family exposing the school’s misconduct.
This month, the Stefanik family’s two boys, ages 10 and 12, joined the Country Club of North Carolina’s (CCNC) swim league to enjoy some fun summer swimming in Moore County. Unfortunately, the first three of four meets were scheduled to be held at The O’Neal School’s pool facilities. Concerned about the previous exclusion of their family, the parents reached out to Jim Sutton, the General Manager of CCNC, asking for confirmation of their children’s ability to attend these meets.
Mr. Sutton emailed Jen Schmitz, the Director of Aquatics at O’Neal, for guidance on preparing the heat sheets. Shortly afterward, he received a voicemail from Brenda Jackson stating that the entire Stefanik family was now restricted from attending any events on campus.
“After our conversation, I sent an email to Jennifer Schmitz, who is listed on their website as the Head Swim Coach at O’Neal, to ask for any guidance on preparing our Heat sheets as we plan to bring the CCNC Turtles Swim team over to their campus for the Away meets. I returned to my desk a short while ago to find a voicemail on my phone from a Brenda Jackson, who identified herself as the Interim Head of School at The O’Neal School. Ms. Jackson’s message acknowledged my email to the swim coach and Ms. Jackson then stated that your family is restricted from accessing the O’Neal campus…I am sorry to deliver this news.” – JIM SUTTON, CCNC General Manager
With this swift act, Brenda Jackson confirmed that O’Neal has not learned from its past mistakes but is instead continuing the same unethical behavior while attempting to hide behind a new public face. Private organizations can control who has access to their property, but those in athletic associations must comply with the rules of the governing body they are a part of. O’Neal is a member of The North Carolina Independent Schools Athletics Association (NCISAA), which has core values including the belief that the Head of School must be willing to hold all school representatives to the highest standards of behavior. The NCISAA also emphasizes that interaction through statewide athletic activities is a character and community-building experience and that the basic integrity of each member school is the most vital part of the organization.
The General Rules & Regulations of the NCISAA acknowledge that for a member to remain in good standing, they must:
1.5.1.5 Commit to and uphold the NCISAA mission of sportsmanship, integrity, and fair play.
1.5.2.2 Exhibit responsible and ethical behavior.
1.5.2.3 Be supportive and maintain a positive attitude.
1.5.2.5 Compete within the rules of the game.
1.5.2.6 Win and lose gracefully.
Their policy on Sportsmanship further states:
“The NCISAA recognizes that independent school interscholastic athletic events must be conducted in such a manner that good sportsmanship prevails at all times. Every effort must be made to promote a climate of wholesome competition. It is necessary that administrators and coaches be individually and collectively responsible for taking steps to promote good sportsmanship at every interscholastic event.”
The O’Neal School has clearly violated these rules by excluding a family from competing and denying them access to facilities controlled by a member without any valid reason other than blatant retaliation. We are asking for an immediate investigation into the continued misconduct of the administration and urge the NCISAA to penalize O’Neal with a suspension of their membership and a loss of their state tournament privileges per section 3:
3.2 Failure to comply with any rules and regulations may result in players, coaches or schools:
- 3.2.1 Forfeiting an event,
3.2.2 Losing state tournament privilege,
3.2.3 Being fined,
3.2.4 Being suspended or expelled from the NCISAA.
Until O’Neal takes the necessary steps to correct and reverse the unethical exclusion of student athletes, they should not be allowed to participate in or host any athletic events. If you would like to reach out to the NCISAA directly to further our cause, they can be contacted here:
The North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association
5555 Concord Parkway South
Suite 408 Concord, NC 28027
https://www.ncisaa.org
info@ncisaa.org
It is now clear that O’Neal is not going to change its despicable behavior willingly. They appear to only act when external authorities force their hand, and we as a community must continue shedding light on their disregard for children’s rights and safety.