High school students in Utah are facing disciplinary actions for spewing racist taunts at an opposing team during a basketball game last month.
After completing its investigations, the Weber School District decided to impose sanctions on Roy High School students in the fan section who shouted racial slurs and barked at Asian American and Polynesian players from Hunter High School on Jan. 13.
The year prior, the same student section reportedly taunted Asian American and Polynesian players from Hunter High when the team visited Roy High for their annual basketball match-up. According to witnesses, the spectators called members of the visiting team “dog eaters.”
Some parents of the targeted students told the Salt Lake Tribune that they reported the incident to the school and the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) but did not receive a response.
The student section did not repeat the slur at last month’s game, opting instead to bark.
Parents provided videos of the incident that showed the barking sounds coming from the Roy High side of the gym, where about 50 students were sitting. Each time an Asian American or Polynesian player on Hunter’s team had possession of the ball, the barking would get louder.
Roy High School displayed racist behavior for the second year in a row and nothing is being done about it. Barking at our biracial student athletes anytime they touch the ball. The media needs to investigate. @KSLcom @KUTV2News @fox13 @abc4utah pic.twitter.com/zSDNhQqles
— Hall_ee (@walli_hall) January 19, 2023
In addition to the barking, the Roy High students could be heard shouting other offensive comments, such as “go home and eat more rice.”
The district’s investigation found that the barking students exhibited unsportsmanlike conduct.
As a result, the Roy High students involved in the taunts will reportedly receive instruction on appropriate cheering at games and will be required to “participate in…
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