A high school basketball game in Michigan came to an abrupt halt earlier this month as a student spectator yelled a racial slur at an African-American player as he attempted a free throw.
The incident was acknowledged by Goodrich High School superintendent Mike Baszler in a statement earlier this week after it was captured in cell phone footage that has since gone viral.
The clip shows a Kearsley High School player missing a free throw as someone yelled the n-word from the crowd. Although the camera remained fixed on the court, angry spectators are heard yelling for several seconds after the racial slur was uttered.
As explained by Baszler, the game was suspended so officials could determine the guilty party.
‘Last week at a varsity boys basketball game, a derogatory racial slur was made from the student section,’ read Baszler’s statement, which he posted on Facebook. ‘Game administration immediately paused the contest to address the situation.
‘Our Athletic Director and administrative team approached the student section,’ he continued. ‘When the individual responsible did not initially come forward, the entire student section was removed from the gymnasium. Our Athletic Director and administration swiftly determined which student made the comment and addressed it in accordance with our student code of conduct.
The clip shows a Kearsley player missing a free throw as someone yelled the n-word from the crowd. Although the camera remained fixed on the court, angry spectators are heard yelling
‘We take matters like this seriously, which is why the student section was promptly removed, the matter was investigated, and the conduct was addressed. This action was taken to ensure the environment reflected the standards of sportsmanship and respect we expect at all Goodrich Area Schools events.
‘We will continue to educate our students about the importance of sportsmanship, respect for others, and representing our school community.’
Goodrich beat Kearsley, 64-59, to improve to 17-7 on the season.
The town of Goodrich, which is located in Eastern Michigan, is overwhelmingly white, according to census data.
Meanwhile Flint, where Kearsley is located, is primarily African-American.