Lutheran High School's athletics department has been placed on probation for at least 12 months by the Colorado High School Activities Association for alleged racist behavior.
According to CBS Colorado, CHSAA said the school was also put on formal notice, effective immediately, and faces suspension of its membership after "determining that racist and discriminatory language and unacceptable behavior occurred at Lutheran athletic events."
The move by CHSAA comes after CBS Colorado reported earlier this month that Colorado Springs High School cheerleaders claim they were racially harassed by students at a Lutheran High School football game on Sept. 24. The cheerleaders claim they were subjected to racist remarks and blocked from passing Lutheran's student section during the game in Parker.
The Colorado Springs cheerleaders aren't alone.
"I felt alone. I kind of felt powerless," said Sand Creek junior Brayden Wilson-Damerell, who experienced racism at a Lutheran High School game.
Wilson-Damerell said he and other Black students were told to "go back where they came from" and witnessed other students whipping belts at them, an allegation that Lutheran's executive director said in an Oct. 4 email to families "appears to be untrue."
That email says the students involved in the belt incident did not go to Lutheran, and states, "I questioned them in front of the cheerleaders and their coach, and the explanation was that they were chasing and hitting each other with their belts. A review of the security footage supports that explanation."
"These kids were pretending to whip us. They took off their belt and were whipping the air, whipping the ground," said Wilson-Damerell. "It was definitely targeted towards us. They weren't just doing it at each other as a joke. They were facing us and looking at us as they were doing it."
Air Academy and Coronado have both forfeited their games against Lutheran after the allegations came to light.
"I feel bad because that counts as a loss for Air Academy and a win for Lutheran. But we all know that Air Academy and Coronado are the real winners," said Wilson-Damerell.
"Racism and discrimination have no place in our schools or at our events," CHSAA said in a statement. "CHSAA takes sportsmanship, crowd control and the treatment of every participant at our events seriously, and every member school is responsible for the conduct of its coaches, players and spectators."
CHSAA made the decision to suspend Lutheran High School after a thorough investigation of all documentation.
Lutheran High School Principal Dan Gehrke released this statement on Thursday regarding the CHSAA actions, "Lutheran High School condemns racism in any form, and we will complete every requirement CHSAA has set. We are disappointed that CHSAA reached its determination before our own review is complete and before it could consider our findings. We are finalizing a fuller response and our next steps for you and the public. In the meantime, I humbly ask that you keep our students, families, coaches and staff in your prayers, along with everyone affected."
Lutheran is now required to complete a detailed Corrective Action Plan addressing game management, spectator conduct, staff training and school culture. Lutheran leadership will be required to appear before the CHSAA Board of Directors to demonstrate growth and progress in the areas identified in the plan.
