Students accused of racist heckling at TX volleyball game. Now district investigating
A Texas mother is demanding action after, she says, her daughter and teammates were subjected to racist mocking during a high school volleyball game.
During a Friday, Sept. 2, game between Jordan High School and Paetow High School — both in the Katy Independent School District — part of the student section can be heard making what sounds like monkey noises, video shared to social media by Lakeesha Adams shows.
1. Hi Friends and Family, sadly my post is not one of celebration. This past Friday my daughter's Varsity Team Paetow High School(Katy,TX) played against Jordan High School (Katy,TX), and were heckled and harassed with the student section making monkey sounds towards our black pic.twitter.com/b5Lp0t0uij
— Lakeesha Kemp-Adams (@KeeshaKA) September 4, 2022
Adams says Paetow players, the majority of which are Black and Hispanic, were the target of racist heckling by Jordan students. Meanwhile, the opposing Jordan team is mostly white.
“Our girls were distraught and devastated to have to endure such hatred,” Adams said in a tweet.
School administrators were told what was happening in the stands but nothing was done to stop it, according to Adams.
Following the game, Adams says she reached out to administrators at the district level to look into the matter.
“We will not let this get swept under the rug and normalized as kids being kids. It’s pure unadulterated racism!”
Katy ISD sent a letter out to parents on Tuesday, Sept. 6, saying it has launched an investigation, news outlets report.
“An investigation has identified some students engaged in behaviors that are not aligned with the District’s and the UIL’s expectations for sportsmanship conduct during an athletic event,” the letter said, adding that any student whose behavior is “deemed in violation . . . will face disciplinary consequences.”
McClatchy News has reached out to Katy ISD for more information.
The same night Jordan and Paetow faced off in Katy, another alleged racist incident happened at a different high school volleyball game near New Braunfels, McClatchy previously reported.
At that game, a mother of two Black volleyball players claims students cheering for the opposing team yelled the N-word at her daughters, repeatedly.
High school football player dies after suffering head injury during game in Texas
Driver shows ‘white privilege card’ during traffic stop, gets selfie with Alaska cop
Paddling students returns to Missouri school district — but only if parents opt in
School custodian gave girl ‘birthday spankings’ in bathroom, Michigan lawsuit says
