Thank you for refreshing my memory. I don't know Mr. Hopson, but I
was the parent, he is, now. He has a vested interest, in the physical
development, of his 2 sons, and rightfully so. If he weren't in the
home, he'd be called something else, a "deadbeat dad", which he isn't.
I've met Garrett Jr., and found him to be friendly and sincere.
Blacks, are accused of many things, not knowing the circumstances.
It's always a "catch-22", damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Since I wasn't there, I won't comment, furthur.
--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "asburycouple" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
>
>
> Below is all I could find on Google related to Mr. Hopson. Nothing at
> all is either racist or homophobic. That doesn't mean there isn't
> anything to the accusations but given the serious nature of the claims I
> certainly hope someone actually provides some evidence behind them, or
> steps up and apologizes if they can't.
>
> However the two excerpts below do illustrate the continued division and
> disagreement that will continue to plague the school board going
> forward. Whether he was right or wrong is not what worries me. How the
> current board and he will be able to coexist and get things done is
> beyond me given the history below. I see a future with more arguing by
> adults resulting in more failure for kids.
>
> I think that the only thing that's been proven over the past several
> years is that Asbury Park simply will not be able to fix our own
> schools. Too many egos, too much croneyism, far too many agendas other
> than the kids. As a kid when things went this horribly wrong we'd call
> a do-over. We need the state to come in here and give us do-over. Run
> the system without all of the history. See what works. Be open to
> trying things without the baggage of worrying about who's friend's job
> might be impacted. And reward performance rather than politics.
>
> Here are the quotes...
>
> From August, when the status of Dr. Lewis and the football coach were in
> question:
>
> Since that time, several parents have come forward to protest the move
> and voice support for the coach.
>
> A small group of parents and football players took a bus trip to Trenton
> last Friday and met with Deputy Commissioner of Education Isaac Bryant.
>
> Greg Hopson, one of the parents who organized the trip, said the group
> asked Bryant to suspend the Asbury Park school board for repeatedly
> denying candidates for employment submitted by Superintendent of Schools
> Antonio Lewis.
>
> D'Alessandro contested that allegation.
>
> "Ninety-five percent of everything Lewis asks for are routinely
> agreed to," he said. "We have had a couple of high profile
> candidates who have not been hired."
>
> Regarding the football coach:
>
> Greg Hopson, Asbury Park, has two sons who played for Coach Stinson.
> Gregory Junior will be going to West Virginia, Wesleyan or Delaware
> State University in the fall with an academic and athletic scholarship.
> He has offers to play football for both teams.
>
> His younger brother Frederick is going into his junior year.
>
> Hopson is very upset about the delay in hiring a football coach and will
> be attending tonight's meeting.
>
> Young Gregory said Coach Stinson has been a role model and a mentor.
>
> "He helped me on and off the field, academically and athletically.
> Since he joined the program it has been going up and up. More kids are
> going to college," said Gregory.
>
> He added that Stinson helped him throughout his four years.
>
> "Everything I asked him to do, he did, he was just there, you
> didn't have to ask."
>
> Hopson says his son played both defensive and offensive positions and in
> his opinion always gave 110 percent.
>
> "Being his father, I want to say I motivated him. At home I did, but
> at school it was the coach."
>
> Hopson said many parents are fighting for Coach Stinson to be rehired.
> When they learned that Stinson had not yet had his contract renewed,
> they attended the last board meeting to voice concerns.
>
> "He had not been re-appointed. We went to the meeting and we pushed
> the point," said Hopson. "We are not bullies; we are a bunch of
> concerned parents who want answers. The ninth and 12th graders are all
> suffering. I think the fault lies with the board."
>
> Hopson believes the Board of Education is not taking the leadership role
> it should in the school community.
>
> "I feel the athletic director is being managed by other sources with
> their own agendas," he said.
>
> DiSanto said yesterday that he had not seen the board agenda and as far
> as he is concerned, board members will "vote their conscious" at
> the meeting tonight.
>
> Lewis and athletic director Ronald Standridge could not be reached for
> comment.
>
> Hopson is so concerned about the current atmosphere at the school that
> he sent a letter to the commissioner of education, Lucille E. Davy,
> detailing his concerns. He also believes someone with access to his
> son's school records sent erroneous information about his son to
> colleges.
>
> Because of the situation, Hopson's son was put on home instruction
> for the remainder of the year.
>
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