BAINBRIDGE, Wash. — Two school districts are investigating allegations of racial slurs during a high school football game on Bainbridge Island.
The allegations came during Friday night’s homecoming game between the Bainbridge High School Spartans and the Bremerton High School Knights.
The Bainbridge players are accused of using racist language toward the opposing players.
Both school districts have denounced the use of slurs and launched a joint investigation.
This is hitting pretty close to home in Bremerton. It turns out a lot of people there are disturbed by the allegations, even those who weren’t at the game.
“It’s sports,” said Marcus Bowens, Bremerton. “It’s competition. And something like that does not have anything to do with a sports game.”
Bremerton players accused some Bainbridge players of using the “N” word on the field of play, something Bowens, a former coach, says surprises him.
“Like I said, I used to coach,” said Bowens. “So, knowing how that can affect the team, and somebody may get offended by it and really take it to heart. Now that affects one of my players and now they can’t see the opponent as the opponent. Now it’s a rivalry or something else when it shouldn’t be that way.”
The video shows the game but we could not hear what was being said. Still, the incidents forced officials to stop the game twice while they and the coaches spoke to the players.
In a statement posted online, the Bremerton School District superintendent and high school principal said they had received information that some players were subjected to derogatory racial slurs during the game.
“We unequivocally condemn all forms of racial discrimination,” the statement said.
What happened during this game is not sitting well with others in the community, either.
“Things like that do happen,” said DeAndre Sample, Bremerton. “People do end up saying negative things. But I would just hope somebody investigates it and figures out what happened in that situation.”
The Bremerton and Bainbridge Island school districts have undertaken a joint investigation.
They say they plan to be transparent as well.
As for the game: The Bremerton players broke with tradition and refused to shake hands with their opponents.
Bainbridge won it, 21 to 6.
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