(Earlham, IA) The Iowa High School Athletic Association has been notified about a possible racial incident in a Friday night game. Earlham High School quarterback Darrell Matchem says he was called a racial slur by players on the Southwest Valley team. Matchem was ejected when he yelled at the other players. Superintendents for both school districts say they are investigating those reports, plus accusations of “inappropriate and aggressive fan … behavior” after the game. Southwest Valley won the game by a 15-13 score.
Southwest Valley Schools Superintendent Chris Fenster released this statement on Monday afternoon: “The Southwest Valley School district has conducted multiple interviews with people closest to the situation. We did not discover any more evidence to report to Earlham Administration and the Iowa High School Athletic Association. The Southwest Valley District would like everyone to know that we have good, positive students, and this type of behavior is never tolerated. We are a proud school district that will never condone treating people because of race, gender, sexual orientation with anything but respect, dignity, and kindness. We will continue to work with Earlham and investigate if any new information would surface. We are proud of our student-athletes, fans, and communities for allowing the administration to investigate the incident and reach our conclusion. ”
