Racism, hate speech, harassment evident on Kempsville baseball team, VBCPS says

By Web Staff , Brendan Ponton

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    VIRGINIA BEACH (WTKR) — The Kempsville High School boys varsity baseball team is forfeiting the rest of the season due to an investigation into allegations of racism, hate speech, and harassment, according to a message from the school’s principal.

A message from Kempsville High School principal Melissa George sent to parents, shared with News 3, says the following:

“After our lengthy investigation after we received allegations of racism on the baseball team earlier in April, we have found that racism, hate speech, and harassment have been an ongoing issue for multiple years. Due to additional information we have through our investigation, at this time we are forfeiting (the May 2) game against PA (Princess Anne). Working with the Senior Executive Director of High Schools, Dr. Walter Brower, the Chief of Schools, Mr. Matt Delaney, and Coach Penn, we came to the decision that we can not in good faith play baseball knowing the number of players involved. We will continue to work with VBCPS officials and school level personnel to determine what the remainder of the season will look like. Please know that this is much broader than the initial allegations brought forth and stems across multiple years. Should you have questions or concerns, you can reach out to Dr. Brower… More information will be sent out once a decision has been made.

Thank you, Melissa George”

The allegations appear to stem from the mother of a player who says her son was called racial slurs, including the n-word.

Since April, the mother has posted multiple videos publicly to her Facebook page.

She says the comments were sometimes jokes, sometimes not.

“I am absolutely disgusted,” she says in one of the videos.

The mother says she is looking into getting legal representation.

As for the other players, News 3 spoke with multiple parents, who mostly said no comment.

One parent said his son was suspended from school for six days, but still able to attend senior prom.

He contends he was not involved in the allegations.

Wednesday afternoon, VBCPS shared an additional statement about the situation, confirming that hate speech, harassment, and racism were evident:

Kempsville High School administration and VBCPS Department of School Leadership conducted an investigation of the Kempsville High School varsity baseball team. Evidence of racism, hate speech and harassment were confirmed.

Appropriate action was taken, including forfeiture of the remainder of the baseball season. Know that this type of behavior will not be tolerated in our school division. VBCPS values inclusive communities and works to ensure that our staff, students and community embrace our core values.

Virginia Beach City Public Schools Previously, the school division has said the next year will “bring a stronger varsity baseball team that represents the core values of Kempsville High School and VBPCS.”

In a statement Wednesday, the Virginia Beach Branch of the NAACP said the following:

VBNAACP President Dr. Eric Majette issued the following statement: “We call attention to the ongoing acts of hate and racism within the Virginia Beach Public School System at Kempsville High School and are extremely concerned about how this situation has existed for quite sometime. We applaud the brave young men who spoke up in an effort to advocate for equality within this system. It is unfortunate that racism still exist and that our youth have had to endure its ugly head. It must be stamped out everywhere. It is our goal to ensure that the residents do not live in fear or with undue anxiety, just because they are African American.

We will continue to monitor this situation and look forward to the findings of this ongoing investigation within the Virginia Beach Public School system.

The VB NAACP , in the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, will continue to fight against injustice and racism anywhere in recognition of its threat to justice everywhere. We call upon the administration to take direct action as well.”

The Kempsville Chiefs were 5-11 on the season, according to the Beach District website, putting them in eighth place.

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