Montclair Prep Upset by Delay of Hearing

Montclair Prep Principal V. E. Simpson attacked the Southern Section on Thursday, saying his school is a victim of harassment after Commissioner Stan Thomas postponed a hearing on allegations against Montclair Prep’s football program.

The hearing, scheduled for Thursday and today, was postponed for the second time in a month. Originally, the hearing was scheduled for Jan. 14-15, four months after the Southern Section announced its plans for an investigation.

The investigation followed the transfers of cousins Derek and Leland Sparks, football players whose uncle claimed Montclair Prep failed to charge them tuition and tampered with their grades. The Sparks cousins transferred to Mater Dei in Santa Ana and have earned football scholarships to Washington State.

Simpson, who founded Montclair Prep 35 years ago, has claimed that his school will be exonerated of all charges and is eager to clear the school’s name.

“There’s a big cloud hanging over us and I’m incensed and outraged that (Thomas) postponed it again,” he said. “I have never asked for a postponement and he just arbitrarily postponed the hearing. I consider it harassment.”

Thomas said he postponed the hearing in order to ensure fairness. The hearing will be rescheduled for next month, but no date has been set, Thomas said.

“I just want to be fair and reasonable,” he said. “The single purpose (for the postponement) is to provide the opportunity to gather information so that we can be as accurate and truthful as possible.”