School district says student disciplined over racist comments at basketball game

A southern California school said it had disciplined a high school student for making “inappropriate and inflammatory racist comments” during a basketball game. 

In a letter to the Saddleback Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) community, Superintendent Crystal Turner said a Laguna Hills High School student made the comments, adding that the school would take action.

CNN reported that a Laguna Hills High School student made the comments to a Black basketball player during a game between Laguna Hills High School and Portola High School. 

Sabrina Brown, the parent of the Portola player to whom the comments were targeted, posted a video in which the student can be heard saying, “Where is his slave owner?” “Chain him up” and other racist comments, CNN added. 

“The student has been counseled, and immediate, appropriate consequences and discipline have taken place,” Turner’s letter said. 

“Although apologies are necessary, they do not suffice,” she added. “The words used by this student will never be acceptable. This is a learning opportunity for our school communities that there is ongoing work to be done in building continued mutual respect and understanding.”

Portola High School is part of the Irvine Unified School District, which also issued a statement on the matter.

“The racist comments made in reference to an IUSD student athlete, by a Laguna Hills High School (LLHS) student, during a recent basketball game at LHHS are unacceptable and appalling,” the district said, adding that they are “proud of our student and his family for the grace with which they have handled this situation.”