A pair of high school baseball coaches from California have been suspended as the district investigates allegations that players on their team hurled slurs and insults toward players on at least two other teams
T’won Blake and Will Tipton have suggested that spectators were behind the comments, not the players on their team, the San Francisco Chronicle reported
Eugene Lee, the parent of a player allegedly subjected to one of the comments, has demanded that Pinole Valley High School’s varsity baseball team’s season come to an immediate end
Two high school baseball coaches have reportedly been suspended after players on the team allegedly made racist and homophobic comments toward athletes from at least two rival schools.
T’won Blake, varsity baseball coach at Pinole Valley High School, and assistant coach Will Tipton recently learned they were placed on administrative leave in the days following the alleged incidents, according to CW affiliate KRON-TV.
The insults were hurled on at least two occasions, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Footage from an April 23 game caught the moments when Asian players from Albany High School were the subject of racist jeers.
At one point during the contest, some Pinole Valley players chanted “Baljeet,” the name of an Indian character from the Disney cartoon Phineas and Ferb, while an Indian American student pitched for Albany, according to KRON-TV and ABC affiliate KGO-TV.
During the same game, a Pinole Valley player can be heard yelling, “P.F. Chang is that you? I thought you was baby Shohei!” toward a Chinese American pitcher for Albany.
Additionally, a parent of an Asian-American player from El Cerrito High School has alleged their son was the target of homophobic slurs shouted by Pinole Valley players during a game on April 16, according to the Chronicle.
Blake learned of his suspension on April 30, the outlet reported. He claimed both he and Irving addressed the incidents with players, who claimed spectators were behind the comments.
Irving later stated in an apology letter that “a student in the crowd who was suspected of making the comments” was identified and that “the issue was addressed with the individual.”
Still, both coaches were suspended. Blake told the Chronicle that he never heard the inappropriate comments and was unaware of the issue until he was contacted by his Pinole Valley High School’s athletic director.
“As a Black man, I don’t stand for racism by any means,” Blake said, later claiming the stories about his team “are exaggerated.”
The coach added, “They’re creating a narrative that’s negative to basically ruin our kids’ future.”
The head coach of Albany High School’s team said Blake eventually apologized to the squad days later, according to NBC affiliate KNTV.
But Eugene Lee, the parent of the player who was subjected to the “P.F. Chang” comments, called for the Pinole Valley baseball team’s season to end immediately in an April 30 letter to the West Contra Costa district, the Chronicle reported.
Lee argued that, based on his son’s account of the situation, the comment did not come from a spectator, but from a player. However, he said Blake should not bear the brunt of the blame, noting, “there’s a sense that these problems predate T’won.”
“I don’t feel like the coach should be this sort of single scapegoat,” Lee said, KGO-TV reported. “I just don’t understand why the district is so allergic to punishing the boys, I mean, there’s a lesson to be learned here.”
In a statement, the West Contra Costa Unified School District acknowledged the two incidents and confirmed they were being investigated “in accordance with district policy,” according to KGO-TV.
“While both investigations are ongoing, we want to be clear: racism, hate speech, and harassment have no place in our schools or athletic programs,” school officials added. “We are working to identify those involved and are taking all necessary steps to ensure that conduct at athletic events reflects our core values of dignity, respect, and equity.”
The West Contra Costa Unified School District did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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