BELLEVUE, Wash. — A Bellevue private school is denying that it offered special treatment for students playing football at Bellevue High.
Until last year, the Bellevue High School Wolverines football team had won 67 straight football games.
In June the program was placed on three years’ probation and its coach was suspended for two games because rule violations including illegal recruiting.
Now a Seattle Times report connects Bellevue football to The Academic Institute—a private school miles away from Bellevue High.
It reports that coaches and boosters steered some star players to attend the private school.
They were allowed to pay football for Bellevue High, because the Institute does not have a football team.
But the Times reports a former teacher and former Bellevue football player described a school where standards were so lax—the player said one class even lacked an instructor.
Still the school reported grades that kept him eligible for football.
School Director Jennifer Wise steadfastly declined to answer questions about the school but sent us a statement.
"Athletes are a very small percentage of the students we serve, and they receive no special privileges,” she said. She added that “Classes are always staffed with instructors."
The Bellevue School district sent us web links to district policies and procedures a spokeswoman says are aligned with state law, but declined an interview about whether those policies and procedures have been followed.
In a statement, the head of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association said the organization is currently taking action to determine and execute the proper course of action.
KIRO
