Fort Worth ISD launches third-party investigation into racial slurs at football game
After an official inquiry failed to identify individuals who yelled racial slurs at cheerleaders during high school football game in September, the Fort Worth school board announced on Tuesday, Oct. 22, that it will launch a third-party investigation into the matter.
“The investigation involved conducting interviews and reviewing statements from students and staff at both schools,” the board said in a press release. “Despite these efforts, the District lnvestigator was unable to identify who made the racially charged statements to the cheerleaders.”
Members of the North Side High School cheer squad said students from Arlington Heights High School yelled racial slurs at them during a football game at Fort Worth’s Farrington Field on Friday, Sept. 13.
Stephanie Urias, a parent of one of the North Side cheerleaders, denounced bystanders who failed to intervene at the game at a press conference on Monday, Sept. 23.
The school board called the Arlington Heights students’ alleged behavior “unacceptable,” and said the district “will not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, or hate speech of any kind.”
The statement goes on to say that while “deeply troubling,” the “actions of a few individuals do not reflect the values and behavior of our entire campus or FWISD community,” and the district is committed to “creating a positive and respectful environment.”
When asked for comment, Alex Montalvo, a community organizer who led the Sept. 23 press conference, referred the Star-Telegram to a post on Facebook from a group calling itself FWISD 4 All.
Featuring a video from an Oct. 22 board meeting at which First Vice President Tobi Jackson read the district’s statement, the post says that North Side parents and residents recently reached out to district officials to “express their frustration and concerns regarding the investigation.”
They also requested one-on-one meetings with interim Superintendent Karen Molinar and others on the board.
Molinar and trustees Roxanne Martinez, Camille Rodriguez, Wallace Bridges, Anael Luebanos and Anne Darr responded and held meetings with the parents and heard their concerns, the post says.
The group did not get a response from Quinton “Q” Phillips, District 3 trustee and chair of the Racial Equity Committee. Phillips has not issued any communications about the committee meeting since the allegations were made public, the post states.
“The lack of transparency and communication from Trustee Phillips shows we have a lot of work to do regarding the leadership we have in FWISD and when it comes to a committed focus for Racial Equity in our district,” the post reads.
Phillips did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The post says the parents and residents also invited Kevin Lynch, trustee for District 5, where Arlington Heights High School is located, to speak, but they did not get a response. And Lynch “has not communicated with the North Side community” since the allegations were made public, the post states.
Lynch did not respond to multiple emails requesting comment.
During the Oct. 22 board meeting, District 1 Trustee Camille Rodriguez said she was “saddened” that the North Side students were subjected to the alleged behavior at the football game, and that they now feel “too discouraged” to go through another investigation.
“Life is hard enough for adults,” she said. “I receive microaggressions on a daily basis based on the fact that many cannot believe I am an educated Latina. Our students should never have to experience racism, misogyny and hate.”
At that point, she asked a person in the audience she called “Ms. Plemons,” if she thought what she had said was funny.
The woman responded, “Yes, you using ‘microaggressions’ is funny to me.”
Afterward, Rodriguez continued, saying, “This is not the end, but rather the beginning.”
She encouraged residents to contact her with their concerns.
“I will stand up for those who aren’t able to always stand up for themselves,” she said.
