UIL investigating Duncanville ISD girls basketball coach LaJeanna Howard per a district admission this week.
Howard violated her UIL suspension from earlier this school year per the school district. Additionally, she violated directives from school leadership also.
The entire girls varsity basketball staff is on paid administrative leave after the UIL investigation.
Duncanville ISD cancelled Tuesday night’s girls basketball game against Dallas’ Skyline High School. School sources say this was a direct result of the latest allegations.
Duncanville ISD Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith says, “The District is taking swift and decisive steps to address the allegations.”
He continues, “If the result of the investigation reveals any wrongdoing by the Girls’ basketball coaches, Duncanville ISD will immediately self-report those issues to the UIL and institute strong corrective action.”
It is unclear if the district will move to terminate Ms. Howard or not.
No details about UIL investigating Duncanville ISD basketball programs again are available.
UIL Investigating Duncanville ISD – Again
The girls’ basketball team was suspended from this school year’s playoffs. This sanction comes for violating recruiting rules and practice restrictions.
According to the UIL, Coach LeJeanna Howard advertised she was having an open gym tryout in August. This tryout then came a full two months before practices were allowed.
At the time, Howard denied it was a try-out for the team, calling it just an open gym.
Duncanville is considered a local powerhouse for hoops and the Duncanville Field House conducts a great deal of off season preparation.
Panther Boys
UIL also hit the Duncanville boys basketball program with sanctions in October also.
The UIL ruling states Duncanville’s boys team must forfeit all games from the 2021-2022 season.
The sanction includes all postseason games and the 2022 Conference 6A State Championship. Additionally, Duncanville coach David Peavy lost a year due to suspension from competition.