Tensions were running high during a basketball game at Laguna Hills High School when an unnamed black player was verbally attacked by the opposing team’s coach. The verbal assault continued for about 20 minutes before eventually getting physical, and it left one student in critical condition.
A Laguna Hills High School student yelled racial slurs at a black player during a basketball game. The player was sitting on the bench, and the student shouted “my son was targeted” before launching into an obscenity-laced tirade.
(CBSLA) — LAGUNA HILLS (CBSLA) — During a game last week, a Laguna Hills High School student hurled racist obscenities at the lone Black player on Portola High School’s boy’s basketball team.
The Portola High School basketball team locked arms on Friday to express support for a teammate who was the victim of racist comments during a game. (Image courtesy of KCAL9 News)
During the varsity game between Portola High in Irvine and Laguna Hills High on Jan. 21, a mobile phone camera caught the flurry of obscenities aimed at the athlete. The racial insults last roughly a minute in the video. “Where is his slave owner?” said the anonymous pupil. “, “Chain him up, chain him up,” and a slew of other epithets.
Sabrina Little-Brown, the mother of the Portola High School athlete, told CBSLA Tuesday, “I was outraged, devastated.” “Knowing that a youngster has so much ignorance, anger, and contempt for someone they don’t even know is quite upsetting.”
Little-Brown and her husband attended a meeting of the Irvine City Council on Tuesday evening to express their concern about the hate-filled diatribe hurled towards their son Makai that lasted the whole game and no one intervened. They also accused the head varsity coach at Laguna Hills High School of verbally abusing their kid.
Makai’s father, Terrell Brown, stated, “I genuinely feel sad for the boy and his parents because I fully expect them to chastise and scold him.” “However, I’m not sure whether that will impact the culture we had at Laguna Hills High School.”
Little-Brown claims that her son overheard the racist remarks the following day while viewing game tape. Her family does not believe this is a one-off occurrence, and they want it to come to a stop before another innocent person is harmed.
On Wednesday, she said, “My kid was targeted.” “We’re trying to spread the word that it’s not just about this one youngster.”
Laguna Hills High School has identified the student who was hurling the insults, and the school is presently determining what disciplinary action to take, according to her. She said that the school had also apologized. CBSLA has reached out to Laguna Hills High School for comment and is waiting for a response.
“My son is tenacious, and he recognizes that there are uneducated individuals in the world, and that ignorance is passed down through generations,” Little-Brown said.
Dr. Crystal Turner, the superintendent of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, which includes Laguna Hills High, released a statement on Tuesday acknowledging that a Laguna High student was responsible for the racist outbursts. In part, her statement read:
“The terminology and meanings of the terms used do not reflect the culture, attitudes, or sentiments of LHHS students and staff, nor those of SVUSD.” LHHS is doing something about it. The pupil has been counseled, and appropriate repercussions and sanctions have been implemented right away.”
Farrah Khan, the mayor of Irvine, also posted a statement on Facebook late Tuesday night:
“Tonight Vice Mayor Anthony Kuo brought up the incident involving racist hateful comments directed towards one of our Portola High basketball players. I’ve read the response from Saddleback School District & it’s not good enough. When we say we will not tolerate hate, we mean it. I will be sending out a letter demanding more. I want to see action taken that sends a clear message to everyone that there are serious consequences to hate & racist speech. No mother should be brought to tears about the way her child is bullied.”
This act of hatred, according to the Portola High School online news website, has occurred before. During games versus Laguna Hills, two cheerleaders revealed the abuses shouted at them.
Cheerleader Alexa Beccerra, who is multiracial, claimed, “They were just calling me the ‘N word’ and going for my weight and things.” “As a result, it was quite disrespectful.”
Another cheerleader, Emma Haag, said the same gang called her an anti-Asian slur. “It makes me furious more than anything,” she added, “but it’s also quite disappointing.”
Khan said that she has received complaints of additional racist events at Laguna Hills High and has taken action as a result. “I’m asking SVUSD to undertake an inquiry into the coach and other staff members’ participation in events like this and report back with necessary consequences,” she said on Wednesday. “As a community, we won’t be able to overcome systematic racism unless acts have consequences.”
The Portola High School basketball team, student body, teachers, and staff assembled for the team’s first home game since Brown and many others became the victim of racist remarks less than a week after the event. On Wednesday, Portola High School Principal John Pehrson remarked, “This is a chance for us to stand together.”
Friends, relatives, and admirers flooded in to show their support.
Duncan Pritchard, a father who attended the game on Wednesday, was astounded that such conduct could emerge from such a community. “These are incredibly fortunate children.” They’ve had a fantastic education and been educated about these things, therefore I’m baffled,” remarked the author.
“Seeing this happen really reminded me that there’s a lot more work that needs to be done,” Portola High’s ASB President Amitoj Singh told CBS reporters during the game.
Many of the students were taken aback, even though they were able to rally around and support their classmate. They confessed that living in a “bubble,” such as the Irvine suburbs, had insulated them from the harsh truths of life and mankind.
“Racism has seeped deep into the brains of kids and adults everywhere,” Jett Fukudo, a junior, said.
A Laguna Hills High School student has been suspended after spouting racial slurs at a black player during a basketball game. The student, who is white, was reportedly upset with the black players for scoring too many points. Reference: student loans debt.
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