Paris Martin, who last season led Phillips to its first state basketball championship in 49 years, appears to have been fired Tuesday.
Wendell Phillips Academy Principal Rashad Talley emailed Martin and requested that he ‘‘turn in all Phillips and CPS equipment, keys and fobs.’’
‘‘I guess that has to mean I’m not the coach anymore,’’ Martin said. ‘‘That’s all I’ve heard from Phillips or CPS.’’
Martin, Phillips’ boys basketball coach for the last two seasons, claims that Chicago Public Schools never has paid him and that he never officially has been cleared to coach by CPS. The school district requires that all coaches pass a background test.
Martin filed a lawsuit July 8 against CPS, Phillips, Talley, Phillips athletic director James Daniels IV, Phillips operations manager Shelonda Mackey and Phillips girls basketball coach Larry Stokes in the Northern District of Illinois’ Eastern Division.
Early Tuesday, Martin started a Go Fund Me page to raise money for state championship rings for Phillips’ boys basketball players. As of Tuesday afternoon, $200 of the $14,300 goal had been donated.
‘‘I don’t know if this is retaliation for that or what,’’ Martin said. ‘‘I believe [the Phillips administration] wanted to dim our light from day one. That’s what I’ve experienced the whole time there.’’
Martin was hired as Phillips’ boys basketball coach May 27, 2022. On July 8 of this year, Talley emailed Martin and wrote: ‘‘I hope this email finds you in good spirits. I am currently checking to see how your onboarding is going.’’
Talley went on to list the steps Martin needed to take for his onboarding and said the deadline to have his paperwork completed was Friday, Aug. 16.
Martin said he has filled out the paperwork multiple times.
‘‘I was strung along, and they took advantage of the fact that I didn’t know about the hiring process of CPS,’’ Martin told the Sun-Times on July 11. ‘‘I’ve filled out the application more than five times. It only gets to the fingerprint portion, and then I never hear back.’’
Quintin Richmond, the parent of a Phillips basketball player, said he’s frustrated by the way Phillips has treated Martin.
‘‘It’s very tough, and it hurts,’’ Richmond told the Sun-Times on Tuesday. ‘‘He really cares about these boys. To see what they did and how they made history, it is tough to take that he won’t be with us anymore.’’
Martin, who is not an employee of the school, said he’s due a stipend of nearly $7,500 for each season he has coached.
On July 11, CPS told the Sun-Times that Martin was Phillips’ boys basketball coach and that it ‘‘doesn’t comment on specific personnel issues or ongoing litigation.’’
Martin grew up on the South Side and attended CPS elementary schools before graduating from Hinsdale South. He began coaching club basketball when his son Kendall developed into a star. Phillips is his first high school coaching job.
Phillips beat Benton to win the Class 2A state title last season in Champaign. The team also took trips to Quincy and DeKalb. Martin said he and his coaches paid for many meals and other expenses on those trips.
Martin’s lawsuit is seeking ‘‘compensatory damages in the amount the court deems just and fair’’ and is seeking $1 million for ‘‘mental anguish, anxiety and depression due to the harassment and discrimination he suffered at the hand of CPS.’’
Daniels and CPS didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
Martin said he wants to fight to remain Phillips’ boys basketball coach.
‘‘This is where I want to be,’’ Martin said. ‘‘And I wanted my boys celebrated. I wanted the state champions recognized correctly.’’
Richmond and multiple Phillips parents and players are hoping there’s a way Martin will return as coach.
‘‘[Martin] built a family,’’ Richmond said. ‘‘I never questioned how [Martin] handled the team because I could always see how much he cared. His actions showed that.’’
