The Illinois High School Association has placed Lincoln Way High School on probation after an investigation found students at from the school directed racist taunts toward Homewood-Flossmoor students.
During the probation, the IHSA will not deny the school any privileges through the nonprofit that organizes high school sports across the state. But the IHSA said more serious consequences will follow future policy violations, according to the organization’s news release.
According to the The Chicago Tribune, the IHSA said Lincoln-Way District 210 appropriately addressed the racist harassment by students, which were captured on video. The district’s board voted last month to allow the six students who used offensive language and gestures when jeering at H-F fans to voluntarily withdraw from the district.
The students involved in the incident did not face any discipline from IHSA because they were no long in District 210.
The IHSA also investigated allegations that a Lincoln Way cross country coach referred to Homewood-Flossmoor student-athletes as "monkeys," but the association said it “was unable to corroborate any malicious language directed at anyone involved in the meet.”
District 210 defended the team, saying coaches during the Lyons Township High School cross country meet “merely recounted a well-known story about an area of the Lyons Township course referred to as ‘the jungle,’” according a district statement.
“Independently, the IHSA confirmed that a portion of the course historically has been known or referred to by a term that may have appeared innocent, but when used in a different context can be interpreted as racially insensitive,” the state organization said in Friday’s news release. “Lincoln-Way East imposed educational requirements on its coaches as a result, and the IHSA accepted the actions imposed by the school.”
The IHSA said in a statement it hopes that the two schools can find a way to work through the matter together.
“We hope that competition in athletics and activities between the two schools and communities can serve as a bridge in that process,” IHSA stated. “We have also heard from several other IHSA member schools about how this situation has led to important conversations in their respective schools about the power of actions and words. Education-based athletics are an extension of the classroom and we hope that the lessons learned will ultimately allow for some positives to come from this deeply disappointing situation.”
During a board meeting Thursday, Lincoln-Way District 210 Superintendent Scott Tingley said the district planned to hire Dr. King Speaks Inc., in Homewood, led by social worker Tanisha King, to work with district staff to better support students’ psychological needs.
King’s proposal to the district included three options ranging from $10,000 to $34,500 to lead sessions for staff on fostering safety and belonging during teacher institute days in January and March.
