Duncanville Girls Basketball Coaching Staff on Paid Leave

According to the Duncanville (TX) Independent School District, an investigation has been opened into girls high school basketball coach LaJeanna Howard.

Duncanville ISD said Howard allegedly violated her UIL suspension and written directives from the school district.

As a result, Howard and her coaching staff have been placed on paid administrative leave.

A recent story from Fox4News.com detailed the recent events that have plagued the Duncanville athletics program.

Below is an excerpt from the Fox4News.com story.

“The District is taking swift and decisive steps to address the allegations. If the result of the investigation reveals any wrongdoing by the Girls’ basketball coaches, Duncanville ISD will immediately self-report those issues to the UIL and institute strong corrective action,” said Duncanville ISD Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith in a statement.

The district did not release any details about the recent allegations.

In October 2022, Howard was suspended for a year after holding having an open gym tryout back in August, two months before practices are allowed to start.

Howard was reassigned to another job within the district.

The Duncanville girls team was suspended from this year’s playoffs by the UIL for violating recruiting rules and practice restrictions.

The Panthers boys basketball team was also punished last year.

The UIL ruled that Duncanville’s boys team had to forfeit all games from the 2021-2022 season in which the team played an ineligible player.

That includes all postseason games and the 2022 Conference 6A State Championship.

Head coach David Peavy was also suspended for a year. In addition to the UIL punishment, the boys team opted out of the playoffs for this season.

To read the full story from Fox4News.com about the Duncanville High School athletics department, click here.