Racial slur allegations leads to diversity training for Pulaski County athletes

SOMERSET, Ky. (WTVQ) – Pulaski County High School athletes will undergo diversity and sensitivity training following allegations that some football team members used racial slurs against Black players from Lexington’s Tates Creek High School during a game October 30, 2020, according to Pulaski County Superintendent Patrick Richardson.

Superintendent Richardson says the district has been conducting interviews and looked at game film to confirm the incident took place and see what players may have been involved. He says thus far, they have not been able to corroborate the allegations.  Regardless, Richardson says the district decided to use this as an opportunity to educate young people.

He says they will start the training with the high school football players then move on to other high school athletes. The football team is currently in quarantine and won’t meet again until next weekend.

Richardson says he spoke with Fayette County School Superintendent Manny Caulk, Tates Creek High School Principal Anthony Mills and members of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) during a virtual meeting Thursday night. He says Superintendent Caulk offered his help in developing the program. Richardson says he will definitely reach out to Caulk for assistance.

A parent of a white Tates Creek football player raised the racial slur allegations in a letter to officials.  Superintendent Caulk says the Tates Creek coach brought the incident to the attention of the referee during the game and that Tates Creek players also spoke up.

KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett told the Somerset Commonwealth Journal this week that “If this type of conduct occurred, it is reprehensible and has no place in interscholastic athletics, now, in the past, or in the future.”