Howard County High School Principals Acknowledge Racial Slur Reports in J.V. Football Game
Atholton and Glenelg administrators confirm an investigation into offensive language used during Monday's match, noting their schools have different racial demographics.
By Julian Schulz ·
Howard County public schools are investigating alleged racial slurs and offensive language used during a junior varsity football game played Monday.
On Wednesday, principals at Atholton High School and Glenelg High School sent a joint message to their communities. The email stated that reports indicate students were subjected to repeated racial slurs during the contest. The administrators wrote that they are aware of serious concerns regarding the incident. They did not specify which school's team was on the receiving end of the remarks.
State education data shows distinct racial demographics for the two schools. Glenelg High School has a student population that is 58% white and 6% Black. Atholton High School is 33% Black and 28% white.
Shawn Hastings-Hauf, principal of Atholton High, and Nick Novak, principal of Glenelg High, said they take allegations of this nature extremely seriously. They are working with school system staff to investigate the incident. Brian Bassett, a spokesperson for Howard County Public Schools, confirmed that an investigation is underway to understand the full extent of the allegations and what occurred.
The principals noted that the incident can have a deep impact on students and families. They added that if the investigation confirms violations of school system policies, those violations will be addressed. Policies under review include those related to bullying, hate and bias, harassment, cyberbullying, and the Student Code of Conduct.
Novak previously served as the principal at Atholton High School. He was placed on extended leave in the spring of last year following an emotional interaction with students in the cafeteria. Video footage from that incident showed Novak in a heated exchange with a group of students while wiping down a table and throwing wet paper at them. Hastings-Hauf is in her first year as the principal at Atholton. She previously served as the principal at Glenelg.
This incident follows a similar event at Howard High School last month. The school canceled the remainder of its junior varsity football season after student athletes attempted to put a teammate in a locker room toilet. Seven players, aged 14 to 16, face second-degree assault charges in the state's juvenile justice system for that incident.
