Arkansas' high school sports governing body has turned down an appeal of the North Little Rock School District's voluntary reporting of a rules violation that led to the forfeiture of a state basketball championship and more than 30 games.
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Coach Brad Bolding's attorney, David Couch, sent an appeal letter to the Arkansas Activities Association on Feb. 18 asking the association to withdraw its recognition of a "self-reported" rules violation by the school district. The district forfeited 10 football games and at least 24 boys basketball games from the 2013-14 school year as well as the Class 7A boys basketball state championship.
Two North Little Rock parents whose sons played for the school during that year also filed appeals with the AAA.
AAA executive director Lance Taylor informed Couch and the parents of the association's rejection of their appeals in a letter dated Tuesday. Couch provided the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette a copy of the letter Thursday.
"The Arkansas Activities Association reviewed the information presented. It appears recruiting violations occurred," Taylor's letter said. "My letter [accepting the school district's forfeiture] was not an order and no appeal lies from the self-report. Any additional information should be submitted to the North Little Rock administration."
In Couch's letter to the association Feb. 18, he said he had reviewed the AAA bylaws with regard to reporting violations and saw no provision where schools can self-report and self-impose penalties.
Couch also wrote that he believed AAA bylaws require that even when a school files a complaint against itself, the association's executive director must conduct an independent investigation and "make findings and recommendations."
"It does not appear as if this process was followed," Couch wrote. "It appears as if the AAA simply accepted the conclusion by the North Little Rock personnel that the player was ineligible."
Couch said Thursday that he wasn't sure how he was going to respond to the AAA's letter.
Multiple attempts to reach Taylor were unsuccessful.
The AAA rules violation related to K.J. Hill, a standout wide receiver and basketball player at North Little Rock. The violation also was among four reasons the district cited in a Jan. 30 termination notice sent to Bolding.
Bolding has challenged the evidence submitted by the school district to support the forfeits. He has said that neither he nor his coaches were interviewed by the AAA staff members or given an opportunity to dispute the district's allegations.
Bolding has appealed his termination. A hearing had been scheduled for Thursday but was canceled when the district issued a revised termination letter.
A Section on 02/27/2015