December 16, 2016

The Warrensburg School District offered up a public apology when one of their students held up a Trump/Pence sign during player introductions of the all black and biracial Center High School boys basketball team.

It appears to be their custom that students turn their backs on the opposing team player, but throwing in the Trump sign highlighted the racial tension the Trump campaign has caused.

In an interview with The Star, Warrensburg superintendent Scott Patrick said the student section turning its backs during opposing teams’ introductions has been a long-standing tradition, though he referred to it as unsportsmanlike and something the administration does not condone.

Patrick said the school was not notified of any complaints during the game.

“I think in this case, (the Trump sign) was really the difference in what took this from something that was unsportsmanlike to something that was insensitive, not necessary and inappropriate,” Patrick said.

The Trump racial effect has been filtering into our high school systems across the country for some time now and Monday night was just another example of the impact of his candidacy.

Back in march, I wrote this: Indiana's Andrean High School Basketball Fans Chant 'Build A Wall' At Latinos

Last week it was a high school in Des Moines, Iowa, who lobbed to racial insults to a rival team and this time it's fans at Andrean High School in Merrillville, Ind, who indulged their racist tendencies by holding up Trump signs, ESPN Deportes signs and chanting, "build a wall," to intimidate the Latino players from Bishop Noll Institute.

ESPN's First Take took the time to delve into this topic as host Molly Qerim opened up by saying, "A very troubling story out of Missouri. The predominantly white school district of Warrensburg is apologizing after a student waved a Donald Trump campaign sign during player introductions for an all minority Kansas City basketball team."

She continued, "Video shows several students ...turning their backs on the visiting team while they were introduced. The Warrensburg school district apologized on an official Facebook page, said they would try to prevent similar incidents like this in the future. The superintendent tells the Kansas City Star, the back turning is a long-standing practice, but the campaign sign 'took this from something that was unsportsmanlike, to something that was insensitive. Not necessary and inappropriate.' Warrensburg School District is 80% white, the Center District is 19% white."

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