At the start of the varsity girls’ basketball game between Burlington High School and Champlain Valley Union High School Tuesday night, the two Burlington captains read a statement condemning racism and calling for accountability within the Vermont sports community.
“What we hope to achieve through our continued efforts is to bring attention and focus to the systemic issues that have plagued our Vermont sports community for decades,” the statement said. “We are seeking accountability within the structures and there will be no change unless we all demand it.”
In January, Burlington High School’s girls’ basketball team postponed a game against Champlain Valley after one of its players used a racial slur in a TikTok video.
In an apology letter, Adam Bunting, the Champlain Valley principal, called the video “racially insensitive — at best.” The student was suspended from gameplay, lost her position as captain, and was removed from leadership clubs, according to Bunting.
The Burlington team’s statement alluded to criticism it had received for postponing its game with Champlain Valley.
“Although we disagreed with CVU’s policies and procedures,” the statement continued, “our conversations have led them to revisit those policies and procedures while sparking statewide conversations about how to address racism head-on.”
But in its statement, the team called for shifting the focus from the TikTok video to the “larger structures that allow a culture of racism in Vermont high school athletics to persist.” The team expressed a desire to continue conversations with Champlain Valley, other Vermont schools and the Vermont Principals’ Association to create a better athletic environment for students.
The captains ended their statement by declaring that “hate has no place here,” as cheers and applause erupted from the Burlington and Champlain Valley sides of the gymnasium.
Bunting and Ricky McCollum, the Champlain Valley activities director, both had positive things to say about the statement, and said that both schools are working toward similar goals.
The Burlington High team wore black long-sleeved T-shirts with a raised fist on the back and the words “Hate has no home here.” Spectators were able to purchase hoodies or long-sleeved shirts with the same inscription.
Across Vermont, there have been repeated incidences of spectator misbehavior, racial taunts and sexual harassment at school sporting events. In Alburgh, a fight involving about a dozen adults erupted on the court at a middle school boys’ basketball game.
This behavior is not new. In 2021, VTDigger reported on similar behavior at girls’ and boys’ volleyball, soccer and basketball games across the state.
At his weekly press conference Tuesday, Gov. Phil Scott called for civility and respect in light of the Alburgh incident.
“The idea that a brawl would break out amongst adults, in front of their kids at a middle school basketball game, is just plain sad. Our kids watch us every single day and many of them want to be just like us. What message are we sending, what are we teaching them about how to handle disagreements, when this is what they see?” Scott said.
