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Inquiry finds Roy High students made racist chants, comments toward Hunter athletes

By Patrick Carr - Prep Sports Reporter | Feb 14, 2023

Standard-Examiner file photo

This undated photo shows Roy High School in Roy.

ROY — A Weber School District investigation found that Roy High School students directed racist cheers and comments toward Hunter High boys basketball players during a game at RHS on Jan. 13.

The inquiry, which concluded on or about Jan. 24, centered around the Roy High student section making barking noises toward a Hunter player, who was identified as being Asian American, as well as numerous other racist and derogatory comments made by RHS students toward HHS players.

“As a school, we recognize and acknowledge our behavior has been harmful to others. Roy High will not tolerate this type of behavior. We sincerely apologize to Hunter High and any other communities that have been impacted by these actions,” read part of a WSD statement.

In a video posted to social media by a parent of a Hunter High player, Roy students can be clearly heard barking toward the player as he was inbounding the ball in front of them, while Roy High principal Mike Martini stood nearby and didn’t make any attempt to stop the chant.

WSD spokesperson Lane Findlay previously told the Standard-Examiner that administrators at the game did not hear any concerning chanting.

Student sections have typically barked at opposing basketball players in the past as an attempt to distract them, but many affiliated with the Hunter team said afterward they felt that a barking chant toward an Asian American person was racist, drawing on stereotypes connected with the longstanding practice in some Asian countries of eating dog meat.

Hunter parents and coaches told various Salt Lake City TV stations that the Roy students also made additional racist comments toward Hunter players.

“They told our other Asian student to go home and eat more rice and they called my son a queer,” Hunter parent Mandee Cossa said to KUTV. “They called our Hispanic players multiple other Hispanic names that weren’t their names, mocking them.”

The district ultimately corroborated some of the allegations, imposed sanctions toward the student section and has attempted to remedy the situation with Hunter High and the Granite School District.

“We interviewed potential witnesses and other individuals and we were able to substantiate that some remarks were made, particularly in reference to making fun of a student’s name. We also reviewed the video recording of the game. It substantiated when the barking occurred (three times), but there was no evidence on the film that showed specific remarks or comments being made. That’s not to say it didn’t occur, it just couldn’t be determined by watching and listening to the video. Unfortunately, we were not able to determine which student(s) made the remarks,” Findlay said in a statement.

After the WSD inquiry finished, the Roy student section was moved from its courtside location in the floor-level bleachers to the upper section of the floor-level bleachers for home games.

Roy High has also brought extra staff, mostly administration, to basketball games to police fans and reiterated that fans aren’t allowed to “taunt, make any type of animal noise or any other cheer that is meant to bait, anger, embarrass, ridicule or demean others,” according to newly implemented rules that are also being enforced at other schools, Findlay said.

In response to the incident, the district ordered training for staff members to “better recognize and address discriminatory conduct” and gave instruction to students on “appropriate behavior,” the district’s statement says.

The sanctions will continue through to the postseason, during which Roy High is expected to host a first-round playoff game next week. No mention has been made of whether the sanctions will carry over to next season as well.

It’s unclear if any students were suspended or banned from attending future basketball games. WSD typically doesn’t release that information, citing student privacy laws.

Hunter parents and coaches alleged Roy students made racist comments last season as well, though WSD’s investigation didn’t substantiate those claims.

During this most recent investigation, the WSD found out that “Hunter school officials may have received a complaint during last year’s game, but it was ‘handled on the court,’ and never forwarded to our district,” according to Findlay.

Connect with reporter Patrick Carr via email at pcarr@standard.net, Twitter @patrickcarr_ and Instagram @standardexaminersports.

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