Following allegations of racist taunting at the Camas girls basketball home opener, Camas School District (CSD) leaders have their hands full with a complicated investigation. 

On December 10, 2021, the girl’s teams played Portland’s Benson High School, teams predominantly composed of Black players. In a letter written to the CSD school board, as well as Camas High School Principal Tom Morris and other district leaders, the Benson head coach filed an official complaint about the alleged racist remarks during the game.

Benson coach Eric Knox said in his letter, his players who sat closest to the Camas student section told him, students, there “hurled racist slurs to and about my Benson players, specifically the ‘N-word’.” Knox said he encouraged them to play on.

A CHS student observed the racist remarks directed towards the players. “A girl on the Benson basketball team fell on the court. While she was getting back up a group of boys said to each other, ‘Black Lives Matter; we stand with you’ in a mocking tone with their fists in the air. They then started laughing.”

The student said the Camas students appeared to not think the players nor the coaches could hear them, “They tried to just say it to each other…the boys around that did hear it just laughed at the so-called ‘joke.’”

As the Benson coach’s students continued to inform him of what they heard, he said, “I finally had to take action, so I walked right on to the court at the next dead ball toward the student section saying ‘we are not going to do this anymore.’” 

Knox said he eventually told the referees his team would not finish the game unless something changed. The Benson players ended up winning by eight points. 

In his letter, Knox wanted to be clear none of his players heard or felt anything racially charged from the Camas players, just the student section. His letter ended by asking Camas leaders what they will do to ensure CHS is a safe environment for future games. 

Users on the website Reddit quickly flocked to a post showing Knox’s formal complaint to Camas. Their comments allude to a pattern of similar racist remarks tied to CHS.

User Indiesol said they have multiple children within CSD and are not surprised by this harmful language used in the game. The user’s children “mentioned hearing kids use racial slurs without consequence,” they said. “This is not surprising.”

Another Reddit user, exit6, remembers racist events within CSD. “I’ve seen a ton of racism lately.” According to the user on the first day of school, a student “started yelling ‘Trump’ at the one black girl in his class.”

Interim Superintendent Doug Hood said in a statement sent to the district on Jan. 3 that CSD launched an investigation led by a third party, as well as consulted with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). Leading up to winter break “interviews were conducted with student spectators, student-athletes, and staff present at the game.” Hood wrote the district plans to interview students and staff at Benson, as well as furthering current interviews at CHS.

Hood ended by saying, “Racist slurs and remarks have no place in our schools or anywhere and will not be tolerated. We take these accusations very seriously and are committed to aiding a complete and thorough investigation.”

According to CSD, leaders will continue to be “unrelenting” in their efforts to provide both safe, and welcoming environments for students, staff, the community, and all guests.

This story is developing.