A Wisconsin high school is getting national headlines for the second month in a row for racial harassment after basketball fans began chanting racist comments at the visiting team during a game.
In January, Franklin High School in Franklin, made news when a photo of signs designating “white” and “colored” water fountains went viral. This didn’t surprise all of the black students as some made it known that bigotry was prevalent at the school. Administrators said at the time that they found the person who posted the signs and punished them accordingly thus solving their racism problem.
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That was then and this is now, the media has reported that Horlick High School from Racine, Wisconsin, visited Franklin for a basketball game on Thursday and while there they were subjected to fans’ racial harassment such as calling them the n-word.
“I was shocked like, are you really doing this?” Stephon Chapman, a junior basketball player from Horlick High School said. “As I was shooting, they started making the monkey noises and it like threw me, like, completely off. I was like, they can’t be making that at me.”
“We all felt disrespected,” said Marquise Milton, another Horlick player.
According to the players from Horlick, the racist fans followed them outside yelling, “Get these niggers on the bus!”
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These occurrences are becoming more and more common. According to the US Department of Education, there has been a spike in racial harassment at schools across the country with many calling it the “Trump effect.”
Aside from the game I understand that student sections are there to talk stuff and support but making monkey noises towards us ? Are you serious ? But hey some things won’t ever change in this world 🤷🏽♂️…… Just sad.
— D.Seay (@Derrick_Seay) February 23, 2018
On social media, many players, both current and former, have said racial harassment is a common problem in Wisconsin.
In response to the situation, the Horlick team had a rally on Friday to protest the way they were treated at the game.
The Franklin High School administration issued a statement that read, “Franklin High School administration is investigating a complaint that inappropriate and racist conduct occurred during a boys’ basketball game last night and have been in contact with Racine Horlick leadership today.
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“An administrator immediately responded to the spectator complaint and a student in question was removed from the gymnasium. This matter remains under investigation. Franklin Public Schools does not tolerate discriminatory or harassing conduct by students at school, at school-sponsored activities and events, or otherwise. Complaints of this conduct are taken seriously and investigated as such. Any student who is found to have engaged in this conduct is subject to disciplinary action by the Franklin High School administration.”