Responding to outrage over tortillas being flung at a largely Latino team after it lost a championship basketball game at Coronado High School, the visiting team's school board will take up a resolution denouncing racism Thursday.
However on Tuesday a public comment was submitted to the Coronado Unified School District with an individual coming forward saying, “I brought the tortillas to the game and provided them to players and cheerleaders to toss out onto the floor of the gym in celebration IF, and they certainly did, win the Regional Championship Game.”
He also said, “There was absolutely no racial intent behind that action. Any effort to claim that was the case is a complete and utter FALSEHOOD.” The full letter can be found on the district’s website.
The Escondido Union High School District plans to consider a resolution denouncing racism and racial discrimination, and affirming its support for equity, safety and well-being of all students.
RELATED: Coronado School Board Fires Basketball Coach Following Tortilla-Throwing Incident
On Saturday, after a California Interscholastic Federation championship game, which Orange Glen High's team lost to Coronado High in overtime, some members of the crowd threw tortillas at Orange Glen athletes.
Coronado Unified School District's board held an emergency meeting on Tuesday night to address the incident. The board voted to terminate head basketball coach J.D. Laaperi, and local police and the California Interscholastic Federation are investigating the incident.
Nedy Velazquez, an Orange Glen alumni and former cheerleader, is happy with Coronado's decision, but thinks it's just the first step.
"We're working at the bare minimum, right?" said Velazquez. "I mean, kids shouldn't have to be dealing with the traumatic consequences that are now going to be core memories of their high school experience. For some of these high school students, that is the last experience that they're going to have of high school."
Velazquez wants to see Escondido Union School District take action by expanding Ethnic Studies and including more culturally responsive teaching practices.
RELATED: CIF Probing ‘Racist’ Tortilla Throwing at San Diego-Area HS Basketball Game
"In our district, or in the greater community, there is no place for hate," Escondido board President Tina Pope said at her board's regular meeting on Tuesday. "What there is a place for is building stronger understanding, greater cultural appreciation and compassion for all of us as human beings, and greater understanding of our differences.
A special meeting in Escondido is set for 5:45 p.m. on Thursday at the district offices to specifically address and racism and equitable solutions.
