A Northern California high school has canceled the rest of its football season after a video surfaced of players performing an apparent “slave auction” with black peers.
Yuba City Unified School superintendent Doreen Osumi said the district had received “derogatory” videos showing members of the River Valley High School varsity football team committing racist acts, Sacramento Bee reported,
“I received a copy of a recording of a reprehensible act of a slave auction by members of the River Valley High School football team,” she said in an email sent to district staff late Thursday, according to the news outlet.
Osumi wrote, “The recording clearly shows that the situation was well-planned and organized, which underscores my concern that the students spent time contemplating this horrific act, regardless of whether the action was abhorrent and harmful.” “
“(River Valley players) may argue that it was a joke, and that they intended no harm, but the fact is that it is not only harmful, it is shameful,” she said.
As a result of the ill-fated prank, the team lost the previous week’s game. The students involved in the incident were dropped from the team, leaving not enough players to compete – and the rest of the season was cancelled.
According to Bee, the confiscation holds the Falcons of the River Valley with a record of 0-6.
In a statement, Osumi wrote that those participating in the act “violated our Student Athlete Code of Conduct, which they all sign and commit to abide by, and will not be ignored or undermined.” ” Fox 40 reported,
“The junior varsity team will continue with its season and juniors and juniors from the varsity team may join the junior varsity team to finish their season,” he wrote.
The school head said, “When students find humor in something that is so deeply offensive, it tells me that we have an opportunity to help expand their mindset, so that they become more aware, thoughtful, and understanding of others.” Be considerate.”
Osumi said that the district is “offering our support and sincere respect for the humiliation and anger,” adding that “we will work with our administration and coaches to address the training that leads to our athletic team.” It is necessary to function with character and dignity at all times.”
In a statement to Fox 40, the commissioner of the Sac-Joaquin Section of the California Interscholastic Federation called the incident “unfortunate.”
“Last night we were informed of a situation involving the RVHS football program by a representative from the Yuba City Unified School District; This is a truly unfortunate incident and CIF-SJS is providing RVHS/YCUSD with whatever assistance it needs,” the statement read, according to the station.
As USA Today reports, students participating in the incident could face additional punishment.
event comes after a white Teachers in Upstate Rochester In May he allegedly asked mostly black seventh graders in his class to take seeds from cotton and put them in chains during social studies lessons about slavery.
Patrick Rausch reportedly taught lessons about slavery and how cotton is processed in art school.
And in March 2021, a Mississippi middle school official apologized in March 2021 after eighth graders were asked to pretend they were slaves, including their “travel to America” and the family they lived with. Includes writing a letter discussing what he/she is doing. USA Today reported.