Former Kenwood Coach Mike Irvin Helped Fraudulently Enroll at Least 17 Players, Inspector General Says
CPS Office of the Inspector General’s Annual Report Reveals Scheme
Former Kenwood basketball coach Mike Irvin and members of his coaching staff conspired to fraudulently enroll at least 17 students to play at the school, according to the CPS Office of the Inspector General’s annual report released Wednesday.
Investigation Finds Fraudulent Enrollment Scheme
Investigators found that at least half of the school’s varsity players over three years were fraudulently enrolled. Two of the basketball players are still enrolled at Kenwood after they provided CPS with proper residency documentation in late 2024.
Irvin’s Response
Irvin, who resigned in November, has been placed on the district’s do-not-hire list. He was 90-26 in four seasons and led Kenwood to supersectional appearances in 2022 and 2023. Kenwood lost in the city title game in 2023 and 2024. According to the report, all those victories may have been with ineligible players.
CPS Failures in Oversight
Irvin and his coaches “blatantly violated myriad CPS and IHSA rules, and it should have been caught by the CPS Office of Sports Administration and the school’s administration,” the report said.
An IHSA bylaw allows CPS to govern its schools. According to the report, Kenwood and CPS Sports Administration failed to provide any meaningful oversight.
Club Basketball Connection
Many of the fraudulently enrolled players lived in the suburbs and some in Chicago, but outside of Kenwood’s attendance area. Nearly all were on Irvin’s club team, the Mac Irvin Fire, according to the report.
Karen Calloway’s Involvement
Kenwood principal Karen Calloway was a member of the IHSA Board of Directors and CPS Sports Administration’s advisory council. The investigation’s evidence showed that Calloway “had ample reason to be suspicious about the fraudulent enrollment of basketball players at the school yet failed to take action or report it.”
Consequences
Kenwood is likely not the only top Public League basketball team with residency issues over the past several decades. Many former Public League stars went to suburban junior highs. It is clear from the inspector general’s Kenwood investigation that CPS Sports Administration never had the proper oversight in place.
CPS Must Reform
The report says that CPS “must fundamentally reform how it oversees and regulates high school sports,” and it should create a new position responsible for enforcing compliance with CPS and IHSA rules.
Conclusion
The Kenwood investigation reveals a deep-seated problem in the Chicago Public Schools system. It is imperative that CPS takes immediate action to reform its oversight processes and ensure that student-athletes are held to the same standards as all students. The integrity of high school sports must be protected.
FAQs
Q: What is the scope of the fraudulent enrollment scheme?
A: At least 17 students were fraudulently enrolled at Kenwood.
Q: What is the penalty for Coach Irvin and the school?
A: Coach Irvin has been placed on the district’s do-not-hire list, and the school’s basketball team has been stripped of its victories.
Q: What is the future of Kenwood’s basketball program?
A: It is unclear what the future holds for Kenwood’s basketball program. The school must now face the consequences of its actions and work to rebuild its reputation.
Q: What is being done to prevent similar fraud in the future?
A: CPS has announced an audit of its high school student-athlete enrollment processes and plans to create a new position responsible for enforcing compliance with CPS and IHSA rules.
