Fort Smith School Board member resigns after football coach not reinstated

by Tina Alvey Dale ([email protected]) 3,326 views 

The Fort Smith Public Schools Board of Education on Monday (Jan. 27) opted to support FSPS administration and not reinstate Felix Curry as head football coach at Northside High School. Board member Talicia Richardson resigned from the board following the decision.

Curry 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.

A crowd of around 50 gathered to show their support for Curry and several, including his attorney Joey McCutchen, spoke on his behalf during around 30 minutes of an impassioned public forum. McCutchen said the school board had the ability to right a wrong, a sentiment echoed by others, and reinstate Curry to the position he held until November.

“You have the right to make a motion to reinstate. We are asking you to do that. Put this man back on his job because he deserves it,” McCutchen said. “He is a winner on the field and a winner when it comes to the character of these young men.”

Talicia Richardson

Those speaking called Curry a man of high character who taught those in the Northside football program how to become “good adults.”

“Don’t be the next set of adults who disappoint our students. Let’s show how premiere we are by keeping this premiere coach,” said Wendy Peer, who was Curry’s co-teacher when he first began his teaching career in Fort Smith.

While the matter was announced to be discussed in executive session, the board in open session did not take any action regarding any personnel matter following the executive session.

However, following the executive session, Richardson announced her resignation from the board. She said she was doing so because a lot of things happened about which she is not pleased.

“My heart is broken,” Richardson said, adding that the meeting would be her last as a board member. She then encouraged Curry to reapply for the position.

Felix Curry

“The grievance process was not followed,” she stated very emphatically more than once.

Those speaking on Curry’s behalf said the reason for not renewing his contract and for reassigning him could not be a question of the team’s win/loss record because other coaches have often had a losing record and that it could not be a question of his character. It had to be a personality conflict, they agreed.

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.

FSPS Attorney Marshal Ney said the district’s grievance policy, which is the state standard, gives employees five business days to file a grievance about a reassignment, demotion, reprimand or termination. Curry did not file a grievance during that allotted time, Ney said.