Race cited in reassignment of Northside High School football coach

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by Tina Alvey Dale ([email protected]) ago 0 views 

Fort Smith Public Schools Board of Education member Talicia Richardson on Monday (Dec. 16) brought up the question of race at the board’s regular meeting when discussing the recent reassignment of former Northside High School Football Coach Felix Curry.

Many members of the community attended Tuesday night’s board meeting in support of Curry, who was told Dec. 10 that his contract as the head football coach for Northside High School would not be renewed for the coming year. On Dec. 11, he was reassigned to a non-coaching position in the Fort Smith School District. The district has provided no reason for the action.

Curry was named the head football coach at Northside in 2022 after the retirement of Mike Falluer. Prior to that, he was the defensive coordinator and head track coach.

“We have never had a black head football coach. I’m going to state the elephant that is in the room. It’s called color. And I think that there comes a certain level of obligation of the individual who has that complexion to do the best they possibly can on the backs of their own community. Some people will never understand that – the toll that it takes to make sure that you are doing the best that you can for every student, every young man and woman that you touch,” Richardson said.

Richardson said Curry was an excellent role model and worked hard to develop the students in his program into “men of character in our community.”

Three members of the community addressed the school board Tuesday night, questioning why Curry was being removed as the football coach.

“Coach Curry is the right man. Hopefully this is not because of a win/loss record,” said Jackie Flake.

In 2024, Northside football had a win/loss record of 3-8, and a 1-9 win/loss record in 2023. Southside High School had a 7-5 record in the 2024 and the 2023 seasons.

Two members of the community signed up to talk at the meeting but deferred their time to Curry and Joey McCutchen, a Fort Smith attorney representing Curry in a formal grievance filed with the district. Board President Dalton Person said there is a procedure in place that will allow Curry and McCutchen to speak on the matter in the formal grievance hearing and because of that they would not be allowed to speak at the meeting.

McCutchen tried to address the board, but was escorted out by FSPS Police Chief Eric Huber for disrupting the meeting.