WORCESTER – A series of social media posts and replies using bigoted tropes and racist language directed at the girls basketball team at South High Community School has drawn a response from City Councilor Khrystian King, Mayor Joe Petty, and Superintendent of Worcester Public Schools Brian Allen.
Those who made the comments were responding to a post about a recent South High girls basketball game against Andover High School.
King released a statement on Monday, March 16, which included some posts that drew his response. A selection of those posts appear on this page.
In his statement, King said that the racism and bullying directed toward the student athletes “is a youth wellness issue, and we as a community must stand up
for them and protect them.”
“These young women are not just competing at the highest levels of high school basketball. They are setting an example for younger students across Worcester of all identities and backgrounds, including my own daughter and her classmates, who are watching and learning from them.
That should be the story. Instead, the conversation has been overshadowed by threats, racism, and bullying directed at these young women. That behavior has no place in high school athletics or in any community that claims to value its young people.”
– City Councilor At-Large Khrystian King
King also said that “Reports of threats invoking immigration enforcement toward student athletes during games, combined with the wave of racist commentary circulating online about these young women cannot be ignored.
On Thursday, March 19, Petty, who is also the chairperson of the Worcester School Committee, and Allen issued a joint statement in response to the posts, saying they “overshadowed the girls’ opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments and included hateful, racial comments directed toward South High’s players by adults and individuals not affiliated with either district.”
“The Worcester community stands united in denouncing racism in all its forms. We are deeply troubled by the recent rhetoric.
Hate and discrimination have no place in our society, and certainly not toward our youth. All human beings deserve to be treated with respect and decency. We emphasize that adults must serve as role models for kindness, respect, and appropriate behavior. School staff continue to offer support and hold ongoing discussions with affected students, while serving as role models.”
– Mayor Joe Petty and Superintendent of Worcester Public Schools Brian Allen
Petty and Allen also said that the Worcester Public Schools and Worcester School Committee “remain steadfast in their commitment to ensuring safe, welcoming environments where all students feel valued and respected.”
