The Mckinleyville High football team has been suspended from playing homecoming game for racist and homophobic graffitti in the locker room."

I received a tip "The Mckinleyville High football team has been suspended from playing homecoming game for racist and homophobic graffitti in the locker room. Apparently one of the players shared it on snap-chat."
This was confirmed by parents whose children are on the McKinleyville High School football team. I talked to some of the
parents.

"Nic Collart called all of the parents on the team; then sent out a huge call to the student body."

I happen to know one of the families well and asked a parent how he felt about his son being punished for the actions of a few.

"That's pretty accurate. My son's birth mother is a lesbian, my best friends are of mixed race. I find it hard to believe that (name withheld on blog) would write anything homophobic or racist."

Parents are also upset about the whole program this year. "They have canceled two games all ready because they don't have enough kids to play."

I have contacted Mckinleyville High Principal Nic Collart. Principal Collart contacted me and sent me the original statement(below). He will be sending me some additional remarks.

"To all of our McKinleyville High School Parents and the McKinleyville Community.

As McKinleyville High School heads into our Homecoming Week, I continue to be thankful to be part of our community and part of our MHS family.  

Earlier this week some members of our varsity football team made a poor decision which in effect was damaging to students, staff and our community; it negatively impacted the perception of McKinleyville High School. As a result our varsity football team will not take the field next Friday for Homecoming nor participate in our parade.  Mack High will never condone nor allow statements or actions that alienate or harm any group or sub group of our diverse community.

However, when something negative happens it also presents an opportunity to grow and be better than we were before, to help us continue to be a school to be proud of.  And there is lots to be proud of:

I am proud of the students who came forward to let us know what had happened and asked that it be addressed.

I am proud of our football players who, have come together and accepted responsibility as a team and who are all  working hard to make this right.

I am proud of the students with whom I have spoken who want to forgive and help us all be a stronger community.

I am proud of our staff who have supported all of our students through this week.

At the end of the day, I am proud to be a Panther!

Homecoming Week is a week to celebrate McKinleyville High School and there is much to celebrate, all of our sports teams, our clubs, our diversity and our school family.  So please support our students come out to a game, attend our parade and join us on Friday night when our JV football team will play at 7:30.  McKinleyville High School is a family and as a family, we have the responsibility to care for each other, to treat each other well and to keep each other safe.   We did not live up to that responsibility this past week, but I am confident that as a school, we will come out of this stronger as a family and continue to work to improve ourselves."