EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. (KTXL) — The principal of Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills says a student faces consequences after racist noises were directed at players on an opposing team during of a football game.
Oak Ridge principal Aaron Palm told FOX40 on Thursday that school officials have identified the student who allegedly directed animal noises at two players on the Buchanan High School girls’ soccer team. Palm did not release the student’s name.
The director of women’s soccer at Fresno County High School Jasara Gillette said the incident happened while his team was playing at Oak Ridge in the NorCal Division I Regional Championship this weekend.
During a penalty shootout, Gillette said barking was heard from someone in the stands at Oak Ridge as a Hispanic player tried to score a goal. Then, monkey noises echoed on the field as an African-American player kicked the ball.
“My players immediately said, ‘Coach, that was racist!'” Gillette recalled. “They knew right away”
In response to the incident, Oak Ridge, Palm students and school staff staged a lunchtime protest on Tuesday to speak out against the heckler’s actions.
“I feel very sorry for them and hope they can see that a majority of Oak Ridge students don’t feel the same as the people who took part in these actions,” said senior Kendall Russell. of Oak Ridge.
A spokesperson for the El Dorado Union High School district told FOX40 that this type of conduct does not represent school, district or community values, and is considered hate speech.
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