Concerns over racist and hate speech during a recent junior high girls football game between Cedar Cliff and CD East prompted West Shore School District Superintendent Todd Stoltz to apologize online Friday.
The statement on Cedar Cliff Athletics’ Twitter account on Friday afternoon said the WSSD had become “aware of the concerns” arising from the recent competition.
A phone message left with Stoltz was not returned, but WSSD Community Relations Coordinator Rhonda Fourhman responded by email with the same online statement by Stoltz.
This week, we learned about concerns over the Cedar Cliff Junior High Girls soccer game against CD East. We apologize to the CD East JH Women’s Soccer Team. Racist, hateful, disparaging or otherwise offensive comments have no place in any of our programs. They do not represent who we strive to be and contradict our efforts to ensure that we have welcoming and inclusive environments for all of our students, families and visitors.
While I am proud of the work our school communities are already doing to promote the values of respect, responsibility, empathy and resilience … we must strive to do more and do better to address diversity, equity and inclusion.
Fourhman’s email indicated that the district would have no further comment.
Messages for CD East women’s football coach Amanda Mateja and CD East sporting director Greg Goldthorpe were not immediately returned.
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