Local Headlines:
September 22, 2022. “Grand Blanc football players disciplined over messages; cheerleader for wearing obscenity-laden hat.”
September 22, 2022. “Lapeer football player mom speaking out about racist remarks made to her son”

These recent reports of the racist actions of two different local varsity football teams are both alarming and unnerving. Unfortunately these students are only expressing learned behavior. Children are not born to be racist and vulgar, they are traits learned from parents and others in charge. In I feel that these actions are often overlooked or ignored by administration in the districts. While publicly stating they do not condone this type of behavior, their action (or lack of) give the students a different message.

Look at the record that Grand Blanc alone is building:
•	2016 the scandal of the Black Lives Matter ‘joke’ photo shared by students
•	April 2021 the firing of Travis Neville after he publically shammed a former player who chose to transfer schools.
•	August 2021, under the leadership of Clint Alexander, the Bobcats took the field flying the American flag and the SPQR flag of the Roman Empire. This flag initially stood for Senatus Populusque Romanus (the Senate and Roman people). It was often used throughout history to represent Roman military standards. The use of it today is often associated with white supremacists  groups.
•	September 2022 a group of players are disciplined for sending messages deemed offensive and inappropriate.
•	September 2022 a varsity cheerleader wears a profanity laden hat during a football game and the Grand Blanc Athletics page ‘liked’ the photo of the action.

It is time that the leadership within our public schools take the proper actions and address concerns and incidents of this type with transparency and with a dedication to the standards they voice they share. For administration to glance the other way or only give out slaps on the wrist is unacceptable. Each student in the district has the right to be treated with respect and honor and as long as this type of behavior is allowed that is not the case.

Roy Richard October 2022

Copyright Roy Richard