The Lubbock Coalition of Black Democrats had to step in this weekend because Lubbock ISD is apparently trying to fire Estacado High School coach Tamarick Courtney for the high crime of… getting his players to a game. After LISD failed to provide a district bus on Jan. 6, Courtney used private vehicles to transport student athletes so they wouldn’t miss their event. Real monster stuff.
During that improvised road trip, Courtney got pulled over by Lubbock police for speeding. No crash. No injuries. No kids wandering I-27 looking for a ride. Just a traffic stop. That, however, was enough for LISD to give him a classy ultimatum: resign or be fired by Jan. 12.
The Coalition says the district is punishing Courtney for a problem the district created—namely, not providing the required transportation in the first place. Instead of owning the screw-up, LISD seems perfectly happy to act shocked that a coach didn’t simply shrug and tell his team, “Sorry kids, bureaucracy says we forfeit.”
And when EverythingLubbock.com asked LISD what exactly is going on, the district pulled out its favorite accountability shield: “We can’t comment on personnel matters.” Which in Lubbock roughly translates to, “We hope this goes away before anyone notices we forgot to send the bus.”
So in Lubbock ISD, if the district drops the ball, you still get blamed for picking it up — is that what passes for leadership now?