Organizers posted walkout plans to social media on Monday, writing in part, "Our children deserve better! Our student-athletes deserve better! And our community deserves answers!"

According to the post, the Mustangs were eliminated from the state playoffs and have since been "denied the opportunity to compete in the Chicago Prep Bowl," potentially costing players three more games. The post said the school administration attributed the decision to a coaching transition, but a message attributed to the head coach disputes the principal's explanation and states that he was removed from his position. The post also claims students are being denied access to game videos that could affect college recruiting and scholarship chances.

Parents said they were blindsided to learn that James and his coaching staff were no longer with the program. The Mustangs reached the IHSA playoffs but lost this past weekend. The team still had an opportunity to play in the Chicago Prep Bowl, an optional postseason competition for public and private schools in Chicago, but parents said the school pulled out after firing James.

Parents are asking for a review of the decision to cancel Prep Bowl participation, immediate access to all game footage for college recruiting, transparency and accountability from school leaders, and the opportunity for student-athletes to be heard by the administration.

The Morgan Park High School Alumni Association also posted a statement saying it is "deeply concerned by the recent developments surrounding the leadership of our football program and the decision to withdraw our student-athletes from the upcoming Prep Bowl competition."

"For nine years, Coach Chris James and his staff have built a competitive and respected football program that has brought tremendous pride to Morgan Park High School and our community," the statement continued, noting that the program and James helped student-athletes pursue higher education through scholarships and mentored young men on the team.

"We recognize the responsibility of school leadership to make decisions in the best interests of our students and school community," the alumni association statement concluded. "We also believe those decisions should be accompanied by fairness, transparency and meaningful communication with those impacted. Our students deserve athletic programs that are supported, sustainable and positioned for continued success."

Parents and other family members said they are concerned about the future of the football program, playing options for student-athletes, and how the situation was handled.

"[Coach James] has done so much for not just this school, but for this community. It's a lot of children out here, hundreds of children that play for him in and out every single year that are staying out of these streets. They're not a part of this violence, they're not a part of all the stuff, the crap that goes on in the city, but yet you fire somebody that means so much to the community, all because, we don't know the ins and outs of it, but what we think is just a way to flex his muscle because he feels some type of way," said Chris Mathews, whose nephew plays football at Morgan Park.

The school did not immediately respond to requests for comment.