WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Basketball games can get heated, but a high school basketball game last week moved past the normal cheering and jeering and turned into racist taunting after racial slurs were yelled at players from North Brunswick High School.
The game between Ashely High School and North Brunswick High School has one parent crying foul, and now she’s working to make sure those responsible are held accountable.
“On Thursday, 09-Feb-2023, the NBHS team played at Ashley High School in Wilmington, NC, and again experienced racism as they were being referred to as the “N” word,” Vertrice Daniels wrote in an email to administrators at Brunswick County Schools as well as New Hanover County Schools.
The game against Ashely High School wasn’t the only instance, Daniels said. It also happened when South Brunswick High School played North Brunswick.
“During the game, the NBHS varsity team experienced racism on behalf of students enrolled at South Brunswick. The varsity team members were being referred to as “monkeys” throughout the game,” she said.
Although school policies across the counties explicitly forbid this sort of behavior, it still happens and Daniels wants those in school administration to put a stop to it.
“South Brunswick clearly presents on its website that this is not its mission and the Brunswick County code # 4329/7311 condemns such behavior. However, the environment South presented was not safe for the Black students who participated in this game, and I won’t stand for these black athletes to be subjected to such racism and violate the law,” she said.
Steven Sullivan, principal of North Brunswick High School, said he couldn’t speak about the policies of other schools, but he works to ensure his students aren’t engaging in any sort of bullying at school events.
“I have made it a point to monitor what our students do and what they say, and I make immediate corrections when they get out of line … We also do not tolerate inappropriate behavior from spectators, as I have had to personally escort several unruly fans out of our gym and bar them from attending future athletic events at North Brunswick. Maintaining order and sportsmanship at athletic events comes from setting high expectations and holding everyone accountable for meeting these expectations,” Sullivan said in an email to Daniels.
As for the students at Ashely High School, New Hanover County Schools would only direct WECT to their policy on bullying but would not address the allegations.
In an email to Dainels, Drew Hackett, the assistant principal and athletic director of Ashely High School, said the school took steps to find out more about the situation and took disciplinary actions against students that violated school policy.
“I have been in communication with the administration at North Brunswick and I have spoken with our game day administrator and administrator on duty last night, along with the student section monitors. We have investigated the situation and applied appropriate discipline for anyone in violation of policy and regulations. I will be in attendance at the game next week, as we face North Brunswick at New Hanover High School in the opening round of the MEC Basketball Tournament,” Hackett said.
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