A northern Texas high school’s Confederate Rebel mascot was already cause for controversy, but now a softball coach’s alleged racist remarks seem only to be fanning the flames.
Kenzi Wilson, a junior on Richland High School’s softball team, talked to WFAA about some of the racially charged remarks her coach Brenda Jacobson allegedly said about her and other black players.
Jacobson is alleged to have made multiple derogatory statements about black players, including things like, “The sun is more attracted to you because you are black.”
She also allegedly referred to a black player’s hair as “nappy and nasty.” After a player slid into base and cut herself, she is also alleged to have said, “See? Everyone is white on the inside.”
Jacobson also derided Wilson who did not want to dive into a puddle with other teammates, at which point the coach said to another player, “That’s why black people are scared of water.”
Although Wilson and her father demanded action, they later discovered that not much punishment was inflicted and that, instead, a letter was sent to the coach simply telling her to stop using such language and to be mindful in the future.
“There’s a difference in getting on a kid to get them to perform and just belittling the kid because of what their nationality is,” her father said.
Jacobson denies making any racist comments.
The Wilsons have moved out of the district, telling WFAA they want nothing more to do with Richland High School’s softball program.