For the second consecutive summer, a successful South Side Public League basketball coach is surrounded by drama and out of his job just months after winning a state championship.
Last year it was Phillips and Paris Martin, who the school didn’t pay for two years, who was then fired and recently settled a lawsuit with Chicago Public Schools.
This year, it is Dyett and Jamaal Gill. The Eagles stormed to the Class 2A state championship in March. It was a statement victory for the school and Gill, who built the program. Gill has now left the school and is under investigation after a video surfaced of a physical altercation with a student.
Gill’s drama began right after the school year ended. He expected to receive a $15,000 stipend from Dyett for his role as athletic director. He had three jobs at the school: head of security, basketball coach and AD.
Gill only received $6,000.
“[Dyett principal Doreatha Butler] told me the budget was short and she couldn’t do [the $15,000],” Gill said. “Take it or leave it.”
Then Gill lost his security job at the school when he was one of the nearly 1,500 CPS employees laid off in early July.
“That’s two of the jobs gone,” Gill said. “I couldn’t go back there and just be a basketball coach. I have a family to take care of. It was just a chain of events. My money was short. Then I was laid off. Then I was told to bring in the keys to the gym. I just felt like I was being removed from home.”
Gill posted a message on Facebook that he was stepping down from his role as basketball coach. At that point, the Dyett community swung into action. More than 500 people have signed a Change.org petition asking to reinstate Gill. The school’s enrollment is just 516.
A video of a physical altercation between Gill and a student surfaced in July. The Sun-Times acquired a copy in early August. CPS is aware of the incident.
“CPS is committed to the safety and well-being of students and takes all allegations of employee misconduct seriously,” a CPS spokesperson emailed. “The District investigates and addresses all complaints in accordance with established policies and procedures to maintain safe and secure learning environments in all schools.”
The video opens with a teenage girl screaming at a teenage boy. Gill is the first person in the video to make any physical contact. He swats the teenage boy’s hand away from the girl and tells him to get out of her face.
Gill shoves the teenager four times and says: “If you put your hands on me again I’ll f — k you up. Hey man, chill out bro. Put your hands on me again, I’m going to break your mother…Hey man, you better chill out.”
“Do it, do it” the teenager says repeatedly, while shoving Gill six times.
“I don’t want to talk too much about [the video],” Gill told the Sun-Times on Monday. “It is still under investigation. The only thing I will say is that to say I harmed a kid, beat up a kid, is misinformation.”
According to Gill, the student in the video has reached out to him and asked if there was anything he could do to help smooth over the situation.
“I have a wonderful relationship with all the kids at Dyett,” Gill said. “I am not a bad dude. I love those kids.”
Jayden McKinnon, Dyett’s star player last season, says Gill is a father figure to him and many students at the school.
“He always goes the extra mile for me,” McKinnon told the Sun-Times. “He is more than a coach. My father hasn’t really been there for me. [Gill] is a role model. He taught me about life in general, how to be a male.”
McKinnon says he has not seen Gill get physical with any players or students.
“Never,” McKinnon said. “He always kept things professional. Even when he was dealing with students that were out of control. He always kept it proper.”
Stacey Lewis’ grandson is a current student at Dyett and played for Gill last season. She was also the head of the local school council.
“I believe that [Butler] hyped it up to where it looked like [Gill] was abusing a child,” Lewis said. “My daughter attended Dyett prior to my grandson. I’ve never heard one negative thing towards coach Gill. Not one time.”
Butler has not responded to a request for comment, which is standard. CPS principals have been directed to send all inquiries to CPS Communications.
According to CPS, Gill is still eligible for employment pending the outcome of the investigation. Several basketball players have transferred out of Dyett since Gill resigned.
“That ship has passed now,” Gill said. “My guys and I were looking forward to try to repeat. I worked real hard at building that program. I wanted to try and run it back and continue building those young people up. I guess the powers that be didn’t want that to happen.
“It’s not about me. It’s sad for these young people that depended on me. But I can build another program. I know what it takes.”