North Salem High School is investigating a report that one of its football players used a racist slur during a game against Barlow High School. The allegation is the second in less than two weeks involving a game against the Gresham-based Barlow program. The Salem-Keizer School District confirmed the investigation, which follows a separate inquiry by Hood River County and Gresham-Barlow school officials into a Sept. 11 game between Hood River Valley and Barlow.
The Salem-Keizer School District confirmed the North Salem investigation to The Oregonian/OregonLive, with communications director Aaron Harada saying the district takes reports like this seriously. “Right now, we are investigating the report and are also reinforcing expectations with our student athletes,” Harada said. Barlow, located in Gresham, has now been involved in two racist slur allegations during games played on back-to-back weekends, with North Salem, located in Salem, defeated by Barlow in the contest under review.
A Parent's Account of the North Salem Game
Barlow parent Valerie Dixon said her son, who is Black, was one of two Barlow players who were called a racist slur during the game. Dixon said referees met with the head coaches and provided the jersey numbers of players suspected of using racist language, a step described in Oregon School Activities Association policy. In an online post, Dixon wrote, “Nobody is getting a pass!!! North Salem Highschool (sic), you're next!” and said her son should be able to compete without being targeted because of his skin color.
The North Salem report came after a Sept. 11 game in which a Hood River Valley player allegedly used a racist slur twice shortly before halftime, according to reporting by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Barlow won that game 28-21. In both cases, referees stopped play and conferred with coaches, according to the reporting.
Two Districts, One Shared Investigation
Gresham-Barlow and Hood River County school officials are jointly reviewing the allegation from the Sept. 11 game. Hood River County officials said they could not comment because the administrative investigation involves student matters. Gresham-Barlow's Athena Vadnais said the district is supporting students and families while the review continues.
OSAA policy calls on districts to investigate incidents at their events, determine what occurred and cooperate on appropriate discipline. If the schools cannot agree, OSAA may appoint a third-party investigator; it can also sanction a school, athletic director or coach found negligent in protecting participants. Barlow was scheduled to play Gresham this week, after a Friday game on Sept. 18.
What OSAA rules provide
People who believe they experienced discrimination or discriminatory harassment at an OSAA-sanctioned event may submit a written complaint through the association’s online process, according to the Oregon School Activities Association. A claim against a member school may also be brought directly to that school. The current North Salem and Hood River Valley allegations remain under review, so no findings or discipline have been announced in either case.
A separate precedent illustrates that discipline can follow a school-sports investigation: The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that Central Catholic’s baseball team forfeited two games last spring after a player repeatedly used a racist slur during a pregame huddle.
A Pattern Across Oregon High School Football
The Hood River Valley allegation was described in the reporting as the first known claim of racist language at a varsity game during the 2026-27 school year. Comparable allegations have surfaced in other Oregon school sports in recent seasons, including cases involving David Douglas, Rex Putnam, Adrienne C. Nelson and Tillamook, described below.
In 2024, the OSAA was reported to be investigating claims of racism at multiple Oregon high school football games, according to SI.com. David Douglas High School volunteer coach Marcell Frazier said three incidents of racism occurred that season, including an allegation that a Rex Putnam student referred to a David Douglas player using a racist slur, as reported by KPTV. Frazier also said a player at Adrienne C. Nelson High School used a racist slur against a David Douglas player and that the phrase “King Kong” was used to describe a Black athlete. North Clackamas School District said the Rex Putnam incident involved conflicting accounts, and that disciplinary actions were administered following a review.
That same fall, a football game between Tillamook and Milwaukie ended at halftime on Oct. 25, 2024, after allegations of racial epithets and other unsportsmanlike conduct, with Milwaukie trailing 45-7 when its players decided not to resume play, according to OPB. The OSAA opened an investigation into that incident, and OPB separately reported that David Douglas football players had experienced racial epithets at multiple games that season. With both the North Salem and Hood River Valley cases still under review, Salem-Keizer, Gresham-Barlow and Hood River County officials have not announced findings or discipline.
