With their first basketball game scheduled for Saturday, Nov 6, members of the boy’s basketball team at Jackson’s Murrah High School are temporarily without their head coach.
First year head coach Marlon Dorsey has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation into the allegations that he used a ‘weightlifting belt’ to whip some of his players for incorrectly running plays during practices.
More than 30 parents gathered last week at the school to address their concerns. Some acknowledged they just learned of this type of discipline via a letter that was sent home before the meeting.
“I had no idea this was going on; my son was too intimidated to tell us this,” said Hailicia Francis, whose son, Daniel, is a senior on the team. “He thought he would not be able to play on the team if he told us what was going on.”
Dorsey released a statement through his church, New Jerusalem. He admitted paddling his students. According to the statement, Dorsey said, “Today some of our students have lost pride in their school and in their (sic) selves. Students are disrespecting teachers, administrators and other students by stealing cell phones, leaving campus without permission, disrupting classroom teaching time, late for class and not following dress codes by wearing their (sic) pants on their butts and house shoes to school and on-court behavior. I took it upon myself to save these young men from the destruction of self and what society has accepted and has become silent to the issues our students are facing on a daily basis. I am deeply remorseful of my actions to help our students.”
The Mississippi Link reached out to Dorsey, but according to a spokesperson, he was awaiting legal counsel before he would speak again to the media.
Some parents, like Gary Love ,supports Dorsey but acknowledges he used poor judgment. “It was poor judgment, but he is an outstanding person, determined and driven to make those kids better. I think we all need to step back and give him his job back,” said Love, whose son, plays for the team.
Rashad Sayles, a senior at Murrah, was vocal about his support for Dorsey on a local radio-talk show. “I don’t think Coach Dorsey had any ill-intent in his heart when he disciplined those kids,” Sayles, who hosts Jackson’s Teen Talk Show on WRBJ 97.7 and also serves as Mr. Murrah High School said. “I know for a fact that he has changed the lives of many of them. They’re like a family and it is a unique bond.”
Still others, like Francis, are determined that Dorsey should not put himself in the position of a parent. “We don’t whip our children and nor do we expect this to happen at school,” she said. “I’m extremely upset because of the intimidation. My son was so afraid he could not talk to either one of his parents about what happened.”
The Mississippi Link spoke with JPS attorney JoAnn Sheppard who confirmed Dorsey was in fact on administrative leave with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation, despite JPS policy acknowledging that punishment could include suspension without pay.
The JPS board of trustees has not discussed the matter and is awaiting information from the district.
JPS banned corporal punishment in 1991.
JPS policy defines corporal punishment as “punishment by striking, touching or hitting any portion of a student’s body with a paddle, ruler, hand, or other instrument or as the infliction of, or causing the infliction of, physical pain on a student.”
“The use of corporal punishment shall be grounds for discipline up to and including suspension without pay and termination,” according to the policy.
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