No Place For Hate In High School Sports: 'Let's Clean This Up!'

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — The thrill of Friday night football at Tritons stadium was tarnished over the weekend after allegations of unruly fans al heckling the visiting Lincoln Hornet cheerleaders.

After the court of public opinion cried foul over social media without all of the facts, cooler heads hoped to prevail by end of day, Monday. Both Lincoln High School and San Clemente High School principals agree that this behavior should never be tolerated.

"Both teams battled and this should not take away from their team's victory, but this type of behavior should never be tolerated," the Hive Football program spokesperson wrote over Twitter. "Let's clean this up."

Multiple reports by our students & parents have been made from last nights game vs @Tritonfootball in San Clemente. Both teams battled & this should not take away from their teams victory but this type of behavior should never be tolerated. Let’s clean this up#LincolnCertified pic.twitter.com/ETCiVX1hII
— LINCOLN HORNETS (@TheHiveFootball) September 14, 2019

Principal Stephanie Brown of Lincoln High School informed parents via letter that several students attending Friday's game "were met with racial slurs by fans of the other team."
During half time, she said that the cheerleaders were "taunted" and left early.

The players learned during halftime what had transpired, Patch was told.

Over the weekend, NAACP president Clovis Honore spoke on the racial harassment, a language. "It has no place in high school athletics," Honore wrote to Orange County School Officials.

He called upon the district to apologize.

All across social media, fans and parents have done just that, apologized for the behavior of others.

Resoundingly, the statement was repeated: "We have to do better."

On Monday, officials learned that the hecklers in question were students from San Clemente Middle School, the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.

Once alerted as to the behavior on the visitor's side of Triton's stadium, deputies made their way to where the middle school students were being "rude and obnoxious," according to Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

There was no mention of hate speech at that time, and it wasn't until later that an individual reported what language was used, Braun said.
Deputies escorted the unruly kids back to the home side of the stadium, she said.

#OCSDPIO: Statement on San Clemente High School Incident pic.twitter.com/trfeqiWgCq
— OC Sheriff, CA (@OCSheriff) September 16, 2019

San Clemente's principal Chris Carter wrote to Lincoln High School's principal that he was "deeply concerned by the allegation of racist and offensive comments directed toward Lincoln High School students."

In a letter sent provided by the Capistrano Unified School District, Carter stated that a thorough investigation was underway with the OCSD and all who were present and supervising the game.

"This is the time to take specific action, to ensure that our words and actions meet our high standards and that every single person at our campus feels safe and welcome," Carter wrote.

Any evidence that could be used toward resolving this issue should be sent to assistant principal Cameron Lovett: cnlovett@capousd.org, he said.

According to Capistrano Unified School District spokesman Ryan Burris, social media is part of the investigation.

When a visiting team arrives at your stadium, they are coming into your home. As a visitor, Burris explained.
The district continues to work with the San Clemente schools, and that over 8 hours of video has been researched, Burris said.

The root of the issue remains, according to Burris. "If (a visiting team doesn't) feel at home, then that needs to be fixed."

Related: School Investigating Reports Of Racial Taunts By San Clemente Students At Football Game

Read also: Fans' Taunts Tarnish Aliso Niguel Vs. Santa Ana Football Game