Current

Event
Hannah, Emma, Caroline, &
Bridgett
PollEverywhere

Respond at PollEv.com/hannahbailey102
https://www.polleverywhere.com/surveys/r5pPFwhq5iiL2jRT4PpnF
Video
https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Virginia-school-forfeits-football-game-over-racial-
slur-post-560263841.html
Introduction
● Poquoson football player makes racial slur towards opposing football team at an event outside of
school
● Video gets uploaded to social media and school officials see it
● School cancels game on account of safety and punishment for football players
● This highlights an ongoing issue of racism in the United States. As education can be used as a tool
for change, schools need to consider what they can do to fix this issue.
Fairness
● How is it fair to the Poquoson football players to foreit for something that happened outside of
school?
● Is it fair that the York football players were subjects to this offensive, degrading language?
● Is it fair for the superintendent to forfeit the game?
● Is it fair to the other Poquoson football players not involved in the video and to the other students
that their game was cancelled?
● Is it fair to other students at Poquoson and members of that community that Poquoson High School
is now facing scrutiny for racism based on just a few boys’ videos?
● Is it fair to the coaches to have to deal with the consequences for something only a few players were
a part of?
Responsibilities
● Should the entire Poquoson football team take responsibility for select members’ words?
● Is it the superintendent’s responsibility to discipline these football players for actions taken outside of
school?
● Is it the Poquoson school board’s responsibility now to implement some education on the
importance of using appropriate language and rejecting racial slurs?
● Should the coaches be held responsible for the actions of the players on their team?
Empathy
● How do these racial slurs make players on the Poquoson football team feel?
● How do the York football players feel about the use of racial slurs towards them?
● How does the school board feel about their students using racial slurs against other students?
● How do these actions make other people feel in the Poquoson community?
● How do the Poquoson football coaches feel about their players using this type of language?
Outcomes
● Will the Poquoson football players learn from their actions with the consequences set in place?
● What actions can the school take to apologize to the York football players?
● What actions can the school take to make sure this doesn't happen again?
● What actions can the school take to teach all the students about the use of this language?
● What actions can their guardians/other community members take to prevent this from happening
again?
● What actions can the coaches take to teach their players about the effects of using this type of
language?
Conclusion
In conclusion, schools should be a safe place for
students, and if they have to worry about dealing
with discrimination and prejudice their academic
achievement can plunder.

What programs do you think can be implemented

in schools to prevent scenarios like this from
occurring?

What Ready, Set, Respect lessons could be

implemented in lower grade levels to help prevent
this?
References
Poquoson County Public Schools. (n.d) Poquoson County High School Home Page. Retrieved from
https://www.poquoson.k12.va.us/Page/5580

Alvarez-Wertz, Jane & Arevalo, Geena. (September 12,2019). Poquoson HS forfeits football game after racist videos surface.
Retrieved from https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/poquoson-h-s-forfeiting-football-game-after-racist-videos-surface/.

Associated Press. (n.d.) Virginia school forfeits football game over racial slur post. Retrieved from
https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Virginia-school-forfeits-football-game-over-racial-slur-post-560263841.html

GLSEN Ready, Set, RESPECT! Elementary Toolkit. (0AD). Retrieved from https://shop.glsen.org/products/glsen-ready-set-respect-
elementary-toolkit.

Responsibility Road Sign with dramatic clouds and sky. (0AD). Retrieved from
https://www.123rf.com/photo_3466074_responsibility-road-sign-with-dramatic-clouds-and-sky-.html.

Yuko, E. (2019, May 23). 3 Ways Being Empathetic Can Make You More Productive at Work. Retrieved from
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/ways-empathy-makes-us-more-productive-tips-strategies/.