A Southern California high school basketball team was stripped of its regional title after it they will throw tortillas at him to the opposing team, whose members are predominantly Latino, following a championship game last month.
As images of the incident spread on social media, there was controversy over the intention of the tortilla launch and what should happen to those who participated.
“After a thorough review and analysis of the incident following the conclusion of the Division 4-A regional basketball championship game between Coronado High School and Orange Glen High School, the State Executive Director reiterates that the discriminatory behaviors Y racially insensitive towards an opponent, they contravene the principles of athletics that are based on education, ”the federation said in a press release.
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According to the episode investigations, “The 2021 Southern California Men’s Basketball Division 4-A Regional Championship was vacant”Says the statement.
On June 19, the team of Orange Glen High School lost the championship game to Coronado High School by a narrow 60-57 and in overtime. After the game, some members of the Coronado team fan crowd threw tortillas at the opposing team’s athletes after several heated disputes on the field, according to witnesses and videos.
The federation severely sanctioned Coronado’s team and put members on probation until the end of the school year 2024, as stated in the press release.
“Nothing can take away from them the achievements of this team year. There are many moments of learning, ”said the Mayor of Coronado, Richard Bailey.
Additionally, the establishment will not be able to host postseason events for any of its sports programs until action is taken. The team and their athletic staff will also have to conduct and complete a sportsmanship workshop, which includes training on racial and cultural sensitivity.
“In this case, there is no doubt that the act of throw tortillas to a predominantly Latino team is unacceptable and it deserves sanctions, “the statement said.
As reported CBS8, the Coronado Unified School District board voted 5-0 during a meeting a few days after the incident to fire the head coach Coronado High School basketball court, JD Laaperi.
The captain of Coronado’s team, Wayne McKinneyHe said at that meeting that none of the players had brought the tortillas, nor was there animosity of any kind towards the Orange Glen players. “However, throwing the tortillas after the game was unsportsmanlike, and on behalf of the team we apologize for that act,” he said. McKinney.
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Recently News 8 reported that a student from Coronado, Luke Serna, admitted to bringing the tortillas to the game and denied that the act had a component racist. He claimed that he was evoking a tradition at UC Santa Barbara, which he also attended.
“The tossing of tortillas is used as an action of celebration by the Gauchos from UC Santa Bárbara in various sporting events, including basketball and soccer, ”he said. Serna.
“The path to real change comes with the development of the empathy by those who are on the receiving end of this type of degrading and humiliating behavior, regardless of the intent of that behavior, ”reads the resolution that earned them the title, and affirms the district’s support for fairness, safety, and well-being of all students. He also pledged to fight racism in all its forms to dismantle practices that limit opportunities for students to receive a safe, high-quality education.
Last Saturday, dozens of Orange Glen supporters marched along Orange Avenue in Coronado, some wearing a big mexican flag. They condemned what they saw as a racist act and asked the team to quit the game.
