While attending her daughter’s high school volleyball game on Friday (Sept. 2), a mother was shocked to witness white students directing monkey noises toward Black athletes. She recorded the shameful situation on her cell phone and posted it on Twitter on Sunday (Sept. 4).
“Hi friends and family, sadly my post is not one of celebration. This past Friday, my daughter’s Varsity Team [at] Paetow High School (Katy, TX) played against Jordan High School (Katy, TX), and [they] were heckled and harassed with the student section making monkey sounds [toward] our Black and brown daughters,” LaKeesha Adams tweeted. In the video, the noises can be heard loud and clear throughout the gym.
Adams mentioned the students of color “were distraught and devastated to have to endure such hatred.” She added that although school officials were notified, they allegedly did nothing to stop the racist behavior. Adams said after no actions were taken by school officials, she “emailed formal complaints to the school AD and they have opened an investigation.”
Yesterday (Sept. 6), Katy Independent School District released a statement regarding the incident. “Dear Paetow High School Parents/Guardians and Staff, this weekend, we shared with you that the District and campus administration had launched an investigation into an incident that occurred at the Paetow High School versus Jordan High School volleyball game last Friday,” the message began.
The statement called the monkey noises “inappropriate behaviors exhibited by individuals in attendance at the game.” It continued, “An investigation has identified some students engaged in behaviors that are not aligned with the district’s and the UIL’s expectations for sportsmanship conduct during an athletic event.”
Adams stated that the school completely disregarded the mental health of the students subjected to racist monkey noises. She added that no one at Katy ISD “[checked] on their mental state after [they had] to endure such heinous actions” and called it “disrespectful and concerning.”