WEST LAFAYETTE, IN — Administrators at West Lafayette Junior-Senior High School are launching an investigation after someone reported that some of the school’s football players were using the N-word during a team huddle, Principal Chad Rodgers said in a letter to parents Wednesday.
The players reported for using the word were “of all races,” Rodgers said. He didn’t specify which players had been accused, or who had made the report.
Rodgers declined to comment further Wednesday.
“This behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of West Lafayette High School, our athletic programs and our community,” the letter said. “The behaviors in question are unacceptable and must be addressed directly and comprehensively.”
Rodgers said the school, which was ranked as the fourth-best high school in Indiana earlier this year, is looking at establishing “educational opportunities” for teachers, students and staff in response to the reports.
Black students make up only a sliver of WLJSHS’s student body, comprising 5% of enrollment, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. White students are nearly 60% of the population, while Asian students make up about 23%.
“Please know that measures are already being put in place to prevent any further events of this nature,” Rodgers wrote. “Our goal is to ensure all student-athletes fully understand what constitutes respectful behavior and to foster a team environment where every member feels safe and valued.”
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: West Lafayette high school athletes used racial slurs, principal says
Chad Rodgers, West Lafayette High School, football players, team huddle
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