The Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda school district took immediate action against members of the Kenmore East High School Girls Varsity Basketball team for using a racial slur in a chant.
Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Superintendent Mark P. Mondanaro launched an inquiry this past week after district administrators were told members of the team would collectively chant a one-sentence, racially insensitive cheer in the privacy of their locker room prior to games.
The chant contained the “N” word.
The incident surfaced when sophomore Tyra Batts, the only African-American player on the varsity team, was suspended Monday after an altercation with another player during a practice scrimmage. Batts told the district the chant caused her extreme displeasure and discomfort.
According to some of the school players, the chant was created a few years ago.
Superintendent Mondanaro has met with the student involved in the incident and shared his concern, frustration, and disappointment with the inappropriate and insensitive acts of others.
Along with the out of school suspensions, Saturday’s game against Olean has been postponed.
The following are the full actions taken against the players:
- All Kenmore East High School Varsity Girls basketball team practices have been suspended through the rest of this week.
- Saturday’s scheduled game against Olean has been postponed.
- The related team field trip to Saint Bonaventure University has been cancelled.
- The student athletes will all serve a one-game suspension by the end of the season, at a game to be determined at a later date.
- Superintendent Mondanaro is voluntarily rescinding last year’s Niagara Frontier League’s Sportsmanship Award for the entire school.
- The students who engaged in the insensitive and unfortunate chant will receive a two-day, out of school suspension.
- The student athletes will be required to partake in cultural sensitivity training, which at this time is being arranged through an outside agency.
Superintendent Mondanaro said this type of insensitivity to one of our students is wrong, unacceptable, unfortunate, and will never, ever be tolerated.