An internal Fort Worth ISD investigation into a racist incident during a football game between North Side and Arlington Heights high schools was inconclusive, according to district officials.
In a statement shared during the Oct. 22 school board meeting, school board President Roxanne Martinez disclosed the results of the investigation into the Sept. 13 incident.
A third-party investigation of the district’s findings is underway, according to school officials. The Fort Worth Report filed a records request for the district’s investigation.
Martinez participated in the meeting via Zoom. However, because of technical difficulties, board Vice President Tobi Jackson read the statement.
“While these incidents are deeply troubling, we recognize that the actions of a few individuals do not reflect the values and behavior of our entire campus or Fort Worth ISD community,” Jackson read. “We stand with our students and families in condemning these actions and will continue to work tirelessly to create a school environment at every campus where every student feels valued, respected and safe.”
The district commended students from both high schools who came forward and shared their experiences.
North Side High School cheerleaders reported hearing racist epithets directed toward them from an Arlington Heights High School cheering section during a football game.
North Side High students and parents demanded people who made the racist remarks be held accountable for their actions.
“Students of Fort Worth ISD are watching, we are paying attention and we expect better,” Fort Worth ISD student leader Mia Morales told trustees in late September.
Trustee Camille Rodriguez, who represents North Side High, apologized to parents and students for the lack of resolution after the more than month-long investigation by the district.
“It really saddens me that North Side students were first subjected to this behavior and now feel too discouraged to go through the investigation again,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez spoke about experiencing racism because she is an educated Latina. No one should face that, especially students, she said.
Rodriguez plans to watch and report any racist incidents at future games throughout the rest of the school year.
“This is not the end, but rather the beginning as we move into basketball, soccer, softball and baseball seasons,” she said.
Jackson emphasized students who make racist epithets will face severe consequences, including suspension, expulsion or other disciplinary measures.
“We want to make it unequivocally clear that Fort Worth ISD will not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment or hate speech of any kind,” Jackson said.
Jacob Sanchez is a senior education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or @_jacob_sanchez. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
