In an incident that brought an abrupt halt to high school sportsmanship, the football game between Tillamook High School and Milwaukie High School was stopped at halftime due to allegations of unsportsmanlike conduct and the use of racial epithets. The Tillamook School District 9 issued a statement on Saturday asserting its commitment to investigate the matter, noting, "These allegations, if true at any level, would mark a deviation from the standards we seek to uphold and are inconsistent with our values as an organization," s reported by KOIN.
The game, which took place on Friday, saw interruptions twice in the first half, prompting discussions between Tillamook coach Kye Johnson, Milwaukie coach Jonathan Simpson, and referees. As per the Tillamook Headlight-Herald, after the teams retreated to their locker rooms during halftime, the Milwaukie team, after consultations with school and district administration, chose not to return to the field. A representative informed The Oregonian/OregonLive that this decision was taken with the district's backing, citing the ongoing investigation by the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) as a reason for no further comment.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event in Oregon's high school athletics. The Oregon School Activities Association has seen several instances of racial epithets directed at players, ranging from issues faced by the David Douglas High School football team to racist taunts targeted at the Gladstone football team and at a girls’ basketball game as well. In response to these distressing occurrences, a representative from Milwaukie High's football boosters expressed to OPB the need for stringent measures, stating, "I think OSAA needs to figure something out. They need a really harsh rule," and adding, "This can’t keep happening."
In an attempt to curb such discriminatory acts, Oregon School Activities Association had previously developed educational materials like their "OSAA Interrupting and Preventing Discriminatory Acts Training" presentation. Moreover, state lawmakers have attempted to address the issue through legislative action, such as the passing of House Bill 3409 in 2019, as per OPB. These initiatives underscore the deep-seated need for a culture change in high school athletics, ensuring that all players can participate in a fair and respectful environment.
