New Jersey High School Basketball Player's Family Accuses Opposing School of Using Racial Slurs
The mother of a New Jersey high school basketball player is alleging that racial slurs were directed at her son during a game last week, according to NJ.com.
Stefanie Dickerson, the mother of Lenape Valley Regional High School senior Nasir Dickerson, wrote on Facebook on Tuesday morning that her son was subjected to racial slurs, including the use of the N-word, taunting and monkey noises from the crowd during a Feb. 13 game at Wallkill Valley Regional High School in Hamburg, N.J.
Dickerson, who attended the game with her daughter, husband and her mother, said officials and school administrators did "nothing" to stop the crowd's behavior. She also included a 28-second video from the game, where the crowd can be heard yelling. Specific comments cannot be made out.
Dickerson also said that her husband, Ashon, was subjected to the crowd's taunting. He was approached by Wallkill Valley district superintendent David Carr and an armed security guard, who ejected him from the gym.
"At the end of the 4th quarter with 1 minute remaining in the game my son Nasir was walking to the bench and the crowd continued with the RACIAL SLURS even louder," Dickerson wrote on Facebook. "As Nasir approached the bench my husband stood up and applauded our son for his 20 point game, his hardwork [sic] and pushing through such a hostile environment. While he stood, the crowd supporting Wallkill stuck their middle fingers up and continued with the racial slurs but now it was being directed towards Nasir's father and family."
Carr did not return requests for comment from the New JerseyHerald or NJ.com.
"I'm with my wife, mother and daughter and I couldn't believe what was going on, I had to stick up for my son," Ashon told the New Jersey Herald on Wednesday.
In a video of the game shot by Mugs Media, the crowd can be seen raising their hands and yelling as Nasir makes his way to the bench after being substituted out. However, none of their gestures or comments can be deciphered. Nasir raised his hands before sitting down. The incident can be seen around the one hour and five minute mark.
The family is considering taking legal action for the incident at Wallkill Valley last week and already is part of an ongoing lawsuit filed in January, per the Herald.
"We are contemplating (a suit) against Wallkill because we have to set a precedent that this is not acceptable," Warner told the Herald regarding last week's game.
In the complaint filed earlier this year, Warner alleges that a Lenape senior put a rope around Nasir's neck for 10 seconds in a classroom, calling him a "monkey" and the N-word, according to the Herald.
When contacted over the phone by the newspaper, Lenape Valley superintendent Paul DiRupo said he could not discuss the lawsuit or the Feb. 13 basketball game.