Colin Flaherty Commentary Video "Controversy rises over costumes (Black Face), bananas left in locker room at high school football game" "Allegations of racism at Orange County high school football game underscore broader tension in the Trump era" "Racist threats, Nazi graffiti, Trump feuds: Records reveal racial tension in Orange County schools"
POSTED 11:02 PM, OCTOBER 6, 2018, BY PAUL KISKA
Some fans say some Ashland students were in black face and others dressed as bananas.
A player on the predominantly African-American Mansfield football team was offended and took to social media saying "Racisim and hazing are not cool."
Members of Ashland's Cross Country team also left bananas in Mansfield's locker room.
Ashland's Athletic Director Jason Goings released the following statement on social media, apologizing for the "misunderstanding."
"In response to the events of last night, and any misunderstanding that occurred, concerning the Ashland vs. Mansfield Senior football game we want to offer our sincere apologies once again to the community of Mansfield, the Administration, Coaches, Parents and most of all the players. What we thought was a gesture of kindness was understandably not perceived as so. For quite some time now (upwards of 20 years) our Cross Country team has held Banana Fridays in preparation for their races the next day. Any remaining fruit not consumed by the cross country team was left in the visiting locker room which the Cross Country team uses during the week. Here is a quote from my XC Coach explaining “We leave the box of whatever is left in the locker room each week in hopes that the football team will eat them if they like, so as to hopefully not waste them. I don’t even know who the football team plays week to week” Once alerted to concerns about this incident the administration immediately took action and explained that this was a tradition and there was no malice intended. The administration apologized to as many coaches as we could before kick-off of the game. There was also an allegation that Ashland students were wearing blackface. This is untrue. Our student theme for the game was costume night and there were students dressed in a variety of costumes including various food items. We are rivals on the field of play and that is all. When Ashland plays Mansfield Senior it is always a good game and we win some and they win some. Their players came ready to play last night and that is just a testament to the outstanding coaches and players they have in their program. Their game winning 78 yard drive to win the game last night is just one example of the resiliency of these players. I have deep ties to the Mansfield area being a graduate of Mansfield Senior and served the community there for 16 years as a teacher, coach, and administrator. I am deeply and emotionally tied to the students and faculty of the Mansfield school system and that this gesture by our cross country team has been taken out of context hurts me on a personal level. I have family on the current Senior High football team and want nothing but the best for all of them. There was no intent to send any message other than good sportsmanship. If the act was not perceived as such we again apologize."
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-ln-oc-football-racial-tensions-20180909-story.html
By HOWARD BLUME SEP 09, 2018 | 5:50 PM
The fallout over allegations of racism at a recent Orange County high school football game erupted on social media over the weekend, reflecting the broader tension gripping the country in the Trump era.
https://www.wral.com/racist-threats-nazi-graffiti-trump-feuds-records-reveal-racial-tension-in-orange-county-schools/17669930/
Posted August 16
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — In May 2017, an assistant principal entered a boys' bathroom at Cedar Ridge High School in Orange County. There, scrawled on the wall, was a threat: "Kill all (racial slur)." He soon found similar graffiti in other bathrooms. Swastikas and slurs littered the walls.
A few months earlier, a Cedar Ridge High teacher heard a student yell "white power!" as they walked to the bus, but she couldn't make out who it was. Back in her classroom, she found a swastika scratched into a desk in her classroom.
