Some students who attended a boys basketball game in northwest Iowa last week directed racist chants at the visiting opponent from a school district where 84% of the students are non-Caucasian.
School officials from both Spencer and Storm Lake confirmed the incident, which occurred at the Spencer High School Fieldhouse on January 19. Spencer students chanted slogans at Storm Lake students that included “go back to where you came from” and “U.S.A.”
Spencer Superintendent Terry Hemann says school officials took immediate action. “I can tell you that our administration at the game dealt with things as they happened. If they heard things or saw things, they dealt with them,” Hemann said.
The Spencer students, many wearing patriotic attire, also shook their keys and chanted the phrase “lock your cars” at the Storm Lake students. The chant was in reference to a Storm Lake student who was accused of stealing a car last year. Spencer students have been disciplined, Hemann said, but he declined to provide more details.
“We’re using this as a teaching moment,” Hemann said. “It’s an opportunity for people to grow and learn and be better people.” A similar situation happened at a football game between the two schools back in October.
(Reporting by Ryan Long, KICD, Spencer/Logo from Spencer schools website)