SHOW LOW, Ariz. — A 13-year-old from Show Low has been charged with assault following an altercation at a boys basketball game at Show Low Junior High School Feb. 20.
At approximately 7:15 p.m. Feb. 20, a fight broke out in a parking lot following a basketball game between Holbrook Junior High (HJHS) and Show Low Junior High School (SLJHS).
According to a report by the Show Low Police Department, the Show Low student got into a verbal altercation with a 12-year-old from the Holbrook team as the teams exited the building. The verbal altercation escalated into a physical fight, with the Show Low student punching the Holbrook student in the face, causing his nose to bleed.
After receiving a report of the incident, Show Low police and SLJH staff reviewed surveillance video the following morning and identified the Show Low student. The student was brought into the principal’s office with his mother present and read his Miranda rights, police said.
“(The student) stated that the Holbrook students were calling him racial slurs that offended him,” the police said. “He admitted to using racial slurs in return and pursued the Holbrook students out to their bus area where more derogatory words were exchanged back and forth between him and the Holbrook students. He then punched the victim in the face and left before police could identify him.”
The 13-year-old has been charged with assault and disorderly conduct/fighting.
A parent of another Holbrook Junior High basketball player, who asked to remain anonymous, said she is concerned about her son’s safety after the assault on his teammate. She said his teammate was diagnosed with broken nose after the incident.
“My son and (his) teammates were called, (the N word), Rez kids, wetbacks and monkeys, and students held signs up stating, ‘you’re just a Rez kid’ during the game,” the parent said.
She said this isn’t the first time the Holbrook teams have been targeted because of their race, with other instances of the opposing team’s student audience mooning them and more. But she said instances of racism are always highest during games against Show Low, and she is angry that it has continued.
“It hurts as a parent to see a team go through this and Show Low district should not be allowed to have an athletic program after this incident for a while,” the parent said.
School demographics
Although Show Low is just 40 minutes south of Holbrook, the demographics contrast greatly.
Holbrook Junior High School has an 85% minority population, while Show Low Junior High has a 25% minority population, according to data reported by U.S. News and World Report.
The Holbrook Junior High student population is 56% American Indian, 20% Latino, 15% white and 8% mixed races, while the Show Low Junior High population is 75% white, 19% Latino and 3% American Indian.
School district reponse
HJHS Principal Cheri Grau messaged families of the Holbrook basketball team after the incident, explaining that players had “encountered some hateful and harassing actions during and following” the boys games. She said the school had been in contact with Show Low Unified School District administration and Show Low Police Department to ensure “swift and proper action,” and that HJHS takes these matters seriously.
She then assured families that students would be safe at future games and would be under constant and direct supervision of the coaches if parents were not present.
“Additionally, we will not be returning to play at Show Low anytime soon,” she said. “If we meet them in the playoffs we will not travel to Show Low and we will play in a neutral location if not HJHS.”
In a brief statement released by Show Low Unified School District (SLUSD) Feb. 22, the district explained that there was an event on the junior high campus involving “a few members of the visiting team and a spectator who was present for the game.”
The administration mentioned an investigation was conducted by the school district in cooperation with the police department.
“Show Low Unified School District policy, including discipline, was followed as it relates to an incident of this nature. It has been determined by SLUSD that this was an isolated incident involving a single spectator,” they wrote.
The district concluded that it maintains the utmost respect for opposing teams and its fans, with safety being the highest priority.
When the Show Low Unified School district was contacted by the Navajo-Hopi Observer for more information, the district said they were not allowed to comment on the incident, but referred the newspaper to the district’s attorney, who did not respond.
“The matter is resolved”
Holbrook Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich said the Feb. 20 fight has been exacerbated and exaggerated by social media, with rumors abound.
Though after the fight Show Low staff tried to neutralize the situation by telling students to get back on the bus, no adult gave racially-charged remarks as was rumored, Koerperich said. The 12-year-old victim was back in school the next day and is doing fine.
“At this point the matter is resolved,” Koerperich said. “It was a situational matter that was unfortunate, but it did happen, and we have addressed it with our student, they’re addressing it with their students.”
Koerperich said the two girls basketball teams from Holbrook and Show Low Junior High Schools have played each other since the incident without issue.
“We made sure we had safety precautions in place,” he said. “All was well. The teams reacted and responded well together.”
There was some animosity between the teams at one point, Koerperich said, but that was addressed by the Holbrook leadership team.
“I don’t foresee this as a systemic issue, I think this is something that happened to occur between a group of students outside of the gym,” Koerperich said. “I wouldn’t say that it was a racially-motivated issue in terms of what occurred. I think there were some words exchanged between the young men probably both ways.”
Show Low Unified School District announced a meet and greet for its new superintendent choices six days after the incident and announced their new superintendent March 13, however, Koerperich thinks the timing is a coincidence, and has nothing to do with the Feb. 20 incident.
“I believe that Show Low has addressed this properly and I think we all take this kind of thing seriously and hopefully we’ll prevent this from ever happening again,” Koerperich said.
SHOW LOW, Ariz. — A 13-year-old from Show Low has been charged with assault following an altercation at a boys basketball game at Show Low Junior High School Feb. 20.
At approximately 7:15 p.m. Feb. 20, a fight broke out in a parking lot following a basketball game between Holbrook Junior High (HJHS) and Show Low Junior High School (SLJHS).
According to a report by the Show Low Police Department, the Show Low student got into a verbal altercation with a 12-year-old from the Holbrook team as the teams exited the building. The verbal altercation escalated into a physical fight, with the Show Low student punching the Holbrook student in the face, causing his nose to bleed.
After receiving a report of the incident, Show Low police and SLJH staff reviewed surveillance video the following morning and identified the Show Low student. The student was brought into the principal’s office with his mother present and read his Miranda rights, police said.
“(The student) stated that the Holbrook students were calling him racial slurs that offended him,” the police said. “He admitted to using racial slurs in return and pursued the Holbrook students out to their bus area where more derogatory words were exchanged back and forth between him and the Holbrook students. He then punched the victim in the face and left before police could identify him.”
The 13-year-old has been charged with assault and disorderly conduct/fighting.
A parent of another Holbrook Junior High basketball player, who asked to remain anonymous, said she is concerned about her son’s safety after the assault on his teammate. She said his teammate was diagnosed with broken nose after the incident.
“My son and (his) teammates were called, (the N word), Rez kids, wetbacks and monkeys, and students held signs up stating, ‘you’re just a Rez kid’ during the game,” the parent said.
She said this isn’t the first time the Holbrook teams have been targeted because of their race, with other instances of the opposing team’s student audience mooning them and more. But she said instances of racism are always highest during games against Show Low, and she is angry that it has continued.
“It hurts as a parent to see a team go through this and Show Low district should not be allowed to have an athletic program after this incident for a while,” the parent said.
School demographics
Although Show Low is just 40 minutes south of Holbrook, the demographics contrast greatly.
Holbrook Junior High School has an 85% minority population, while Show Low Junior High has a 25% minority population, according to data reported by U.S. News and World Report.
The Holbrook Junior High student population is 56% American Indian, 20% Latino, 15% white and 8% mixed races, while the Show Low Junior High population is 75% white, 19% Latino and 3% American Indian.
School district reponse
HJHS Principal Cheri Grau messaged families of the Holbrook basketball team after the incident, explaining that players had “encountered some hateful and harassing actions during and following” the boys games. She said the school had been in contact with Show Low Unified School District administration and Show Low Police Department to ensure “swift and proper action,” and that HJHS takes these matters seriously.
She then assured families that students would be safe at future games and would be under constant and direct supervision of the coaches if parents were not present.
“Additionally, we will not be returning to play at Show Low anytime soon,” she said. “If we meet them in the playoffs we will not travel to Show Low and we will play in a neutral location if not HJHS.”
In a brief statement released by Show Low Unified School District (SLUSD) Feb. 22, the district explained that there was an event on the junior high campus involving “a few members of the visiting team and a spectator who was present for the game.”
The administration mentioned an investigation was conducted by the school district in cooperation with the police department.
“Show Low Unified School District policy, including discipline, was followed as it relates to an incident of this nature. It has been determined by SLUSD that this was an isolated incident involving a single spectator,” they wrote.
The district concluded that it maintains the utmost respect for opposing teams and its fans, with safety being the highest priority.
When the Show Low Unified School district was contacted by the Navajo-Hopi Observer for more information, the district said they were not allowed to comment on the incident, but referred the newspaper to the district’s attorney, who did not respond.
“The matter is resolved”
Holbrook Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich said the Feb. 20 fight has been exacerbated and exaggerated by social media, with rumors abound.
Though after the fight Show Low staff tried to neutralize the situation by telling students to get back on the bus, no adult gave racially-charged remarks as was rumored, Koerperich said. The 12-year-old victim was back in school the next day and is doing fine.
“At this point the matter is resolved,” Koerperich said. “It was a situational matter that was unfortunate, but it did happen, and we have addressed it with our student, they’re addressing it with their students.”
Koerperich said the two girls basketball teams from Holbrook and Show Low Junior High Schools have played each other since the incident without issue.
“We made sure we had safety precautions in place,” he said. “All was well. The teams reacted and responded well together.”
There was some animosity between the teams at one point, Koerperich said, but that was addressed by the Holbrook leadership team.
“I don’t foresee this as a systemic issue, I think this is something that happened to occur between a group of students outside of the gym,” Koerperich said. “I wouldn’t say that it was a racially-motivated issue in terms of what occurred. I think there were some words exchanged between the young men probably both ways.”
Show Low Unified School District announced a meet and greet for its new superintendent choices six days after the incident and announced their new superintendent March 13, however, Koerperich thinks the timing is a coincidence, and has nothing to do with the Feb. 20 incident.
“I believe that Show Low has addressed this properly and I think we all take this kind of thing seriously and hopefully we’ll prevent this from ever happening again,” Koerperich said.