An investigation is underway in a Kansas community after high school students at a recent basketball game allegedly yelled the n-word while waving around a Black doll. The alleged incident happened on Saturday when the Topeka High School boys basketball team faced Valley Center High School in Valley Center, Kansas, KSNW reports.
Topeka players said several Valley Center students hurled racial slurs at them and taunted them with a Black baby figurine. One Topeka student recorded a video of some fans in the stands holding up the doll during the game, TMZ reports.
Topeka head coach Geo Lyons launched a petition to demand for fans to be removed from sporting events at Valley Center High School.
“Employees from Valley Center High School failed to protect Topeka High from racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts,” Lyons wrote. “Players and spectators from Topeka High were called the N-word, threatened to be lynched and at one point a Topeka High player was taunted with the chant “He’s a p***y!”
According to the petition, “The student section even passed around a naked black baby doll and often waived [it] at Topeka High players.”
“Valley Center admin and staff did not address any of these actions while play was taking place although they were very aware,” Lyons wrote.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, The Valley Center and Topeka school districts said they have launched an investigation.
“Incidents that occurred when individuals did not conduct themselves in ways that reflect our commitment to supporting students have been handled, and there are investigations that are ongoing,” officials stated, according to KSNW. “We will work together to ensure the appropriate individuals are held accountable and work together to prevent such incidents in the future.”
The Valley Center school district said the doll seen in the video came from a student who was assigned an infant simulator for a human growth and development class. The assignment, according to the district, involved keeping the “baby” close and caring for it as if it were a real infant.
“Based on a review of videos, the baby was passed around between students during the game,” the school district said, according to KSNW. “While the ‘baby’ was not brought intentionally as a prop to taunt or threaten Topeka High School, without context, seeing the ‘baby’ and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that, we are very sorry.”
