Photo: Getty Images
Parents of a predominantly Black school district in New York are seeking accountability after their children repeatedly faced racist abuse at athletic events with their crosstown rivals, per Atlanta Black Star.
Last month, Black parents from Elmont High School and the Sewanhaka Central School District gathered at a town hall to voice their concerns about a long history of racist behavior from the Bellmore-Merrick School District crowd at sporting events and competitions.
The Elmont High School parents urged the Sewanhaka Central officials to bar athletic competitions with their rival district due to the ongoing racist incidents.
The alleged incidents at school-sponsored sporting events included assaults, players being subjected to the N-word, and other forms of harassment. Racial hostility spanned across sports along with varsity and junior varsity teams, according to the parents.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” Lynette Battle, an Elmont parent and Sewanhaka board trustee, said in a statement. “Something different has to be done. And someone needs to be courageous enough to stand on business,” she said.
Racial hostility came to a tipping point during a varsity girls' basketball game last month against Kennedy High School in the Bellmore-Merrick School District, where two opposing players got physical.
A Black athlete from Elmont was initially ejected after she allegedly swung at a white player from Kennedy. However, video footage later revealed that the white player had started the physical confrontation, prompting officials to remove the Black athlete's suspension.
In response to parents demanding to cease athletic competitions with their rival district, Sewanhaka Central Superintendent Regina Agrusa recently declined to fulfill the request, stating that Elmont High School would continue participating in these sporting events.
Agrusa outlined measures that she said will ensure that “competitions are safe for all participants” and the code of conduct is “equally enforced for all students.”
"The district does not and will not tolerate any form of hate toward our students," Agrusa said.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.