David Douglas High School in Portland, Oregon, known for its diversity and strong athletics, has recently been rocked by a series of racist incidents targeting its football team. Over the course of three away games this season, players were subjected to racial slurs, including monkey sounds and chants of the N-word, leaving many of them in tears. Assistant coach Marcell Frazier, who has played and coached football both in the U.S. and internationally, expressed his disbelief at the level of racism encountered, calling it unprecedented in his experience.
One of the most disturbing incidents took place during a game against Adrienne C. Nelson High School in Happy Valley, where someone threw a cake into the stands where David Douglas fans were seated. Throughout the game, the players and their families endured a barrage of racial taunts, with Black players targeted by monkey sounds and offensive comments. Adrienne C. Nelson’s administration condemned the behavior, labeling it as “unsafe and highly disrespectful,” and promised to hold the responsible students accountable.
The racist harassment wasn’t limited to that game. During a match against Forest Grove High School, an unidentified man drove by the David Douglas team’s bus after the game, making ape sounds before driving off. Local police are investigating the incident. At another game against Rex Putnam High School, a Black player was brought to tears after being repeatedly called the N-word by opposing players. Though the game was paused and officials were notified, no one was held accountable at the time.
While the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) and the schools involved have issued statements condemning the racism, Coach Frazier believes more must be done. He has called for stronger enforcement of anti-racism policies and pointed to Oregon’s House Bill 3409, which was passed in 2019 to address racist behavior at school events. Frazier vowed to push for stricter measures if the current rules are not upheld, saying that his players deserve to focus on the game without being subjected to such hate.
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