PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) is investigating allegations of racist remarks made at a football game between Tillamook and Milwaukie high schools, which led to players deciding to not return to the field at halftime.
KGW spoke to two Milwaukie players who said at the game against Tillamook, their teammates were repeatedly called the n-word.
Javen Smith, a football player at Milwaukie High School, told KGW that he heard a Tillamook player call his teammate the n-word after getting knocked down during a play.
"It hit me," said Smith. "As a person of color, it's kind of affecting me.”
Smith said he tried not to react, trusting his coaches to take care of the alleged racist remarks.
But they continued.
“As the game just keeps on going, we have teammates that are not even my skin color getting called the n-word (and) me getting called the n-word,” Smith recalled.
Justin Brandon, who leads the Milwaukie Football Booster Club, said after a player told coaches he was called a racial slur, they met with the referees and Tillamook coaches in the middle of the field. But that also escalated.
“The referee said the same racial slur and proceeded to use the word again, even being asked not to,” Brandon said.
The Milwaukie coaching staff wrote a letter to families explaining that they decided to withdraw their players from the second half of the game, saying the safety of coaches and athletes is their top priority.
Defensive player Ja’Rez James agrees.
“If we played any more of that game, I think one of us would have got in a fight," James said, "possibly get injured, and I don’t want that for the team.”
Tillamook School District responded to the allegations, saying they are investigating alongside the Oregon School Activities Association. The district added that if these allegations are true in any way, that would go against their standards and would not align with their values as an organization, stating that their goal is to always provide safe spaces for student-athletes.
Brandon said racist remarks are a statewide issue and hopes OSAA can hold players and staff accountable.
“You need to be able to coach your players. If a referee ever uses that language, they should never be able to referee another game in the state of Oregon," Brandon declared.
OSAA said they cannot comment on the ongoing investigation.