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San Francisco Chronicle
14-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Baseball coaches at Bay Area high school reinstated after probe into racist slurs
West Contra Costa Unified School District reinstated two Pinole Valley High School varsity baseball coaches Tuesday after completing an investigation into racist remarks directed at Asian American players on the Albany High School baseball team at an April 23 game. 'It was determined during the investigation that the coaching staff was made aware of the incident after the game had concluded,' wrote Raechelle Forrest, spokesperson for the district, in a statement announcing the coaches' reinstatement. 'Upon learning of the situation, the coaches followed the appropriate process and fully cooperated with the investigation.' The head coach, T'won Blake, previously told the Chronicle that his principal told him he was suspended on April 30 after the district initiated an investigation into the remarks, which were caught on video and prompted the principal, Todd Irving, to apologize. When an Indian American and a Chinese American pitcher from Albany stepped up to pitch during the game, video captured shouts of 'Baljeet' and 'PF Chang, is that you?' at them. At other points in the video, voices making barking sounds could be heard directed at the Chinese American pitcher. The pitcher's dad, Eugene Lee, said his son told him that someone else shouted, 'He can't see through those eyes,' after he threw a pitch and hit the batter, though it was not audible in the video. It's not clear who yelled the comments. Two Albany parents, including Lee, told the Chronicle they believe it came from players, based on what their sons told them. The Albany Unified School District's own investigation found it came from the dugout, 'not spectators,' Albany superintendent Sara Stone said Tuesday. Blake denied it was his players, though he acknowledged the comments were racist. Forrest said 'reports indicate that the inappropriate remarks may have come from the stands; however, the exact source has not been confirmed.' 'Regardless of who was involved, the District is clear in its position: discriminatory language and behavior have no place in our schools or athletic events,' Forrest said. Blake said he didn't hear the racist comments at the time. He said he only realized what happened the day after the game, when his athletic director informed him of an Albany parent's complaint. After being reinstated Tuesday afternoon, he was back on the baseball field coaching his team ahead of the playoffs. He said it was 'definitely unfair' how the district handled the situation, because he felt the suspension implied he was guilty. Parents of affected players had called for the district to ban Pinole Valley players from postseason games, alleging that they were responsible for the shouts and calling for the district to use the incident as a 'teachable moment.' The district instead is implementing oversight measures, including the presence of a school administrator and the athletic director at all remaining Pinole Valley games this season, Forrest said. The school continues to collaborate with Albany and league leadership 'to promote healing and reaffirm a shared commitment to respectful competition,' she said. 'If they were my students, I would have said, 'No more games,'' Stone said. 'At the end of the day, what we wanted and hoped for was an opportunity to work with the (Pinole) kids, have the kids understand the severity of their actions and to have, one, consequences, and two, learning, about why you don't do this.' Now, she said, she's concerned about the safety of the Albany baseball team, who might face Pinole Valley's baseball team in a playoff game. Having seen vitriolic comments directed at Albany online from Pinole Valley supporters, she said she's concerned about those adults coming and acting in a way that will make her students feel unsafe. Stone said if the two schools play against each other, she wants it to be on Albany's home turf with no spectators allowed. West Contra Costa previously said it is investigating a separate alleged incident involving the Pinole Valley team after a parent of an Asian American player at El Cerrito High School sent a letter on April 30 to the school's athletic director alleging that their son and another Asian American teammate had been subjected to homophobic slurs from Pinole players during an April 16 game. The father of one of the affected El Cerrito players said the Pinole team should have faced accountability for their actions this season. 'Consequences after the season is like giving school detention to a student after they graduate. It just won't matter,' he said.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
East Bay high school coaches suspended amid probe into racist taunts at baseball game
[Source] Pinole Valley High School in the East Bay has suspended its varsity baseball head coach and an assistant coach as the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) investigates allegations of racist taunts directed at Asian American players during a match against Albany High School on April 23. The incident, captured on video and described in formal complaints, has prompted calls for the cancellation of Pinole Valley's season and a deeper reckoning with racial harassment in school sports. Allegations of racist taunts Eugene Lee, an Albany High School parent and the team's volunteer scorekeeper, told the SF Gate that players from Pinole Valley targeted two Albany pitchers with racist remarks — first a student of South Asian descent, followed by Lee's son, who is East Asian. Trending on NextShark: Lee reported that when the South Asian pitcher took the mound, chants of 'Baljeet' were heard, referencing an Indian character from the animated series 'Phineas and Ferb.' When Lee's son began pitching, someone allegedly shouted, 'P.F. Chang, is that you?' and 'He can't see through those eyes.' He also documented a social media post by Pinole Valley players that included hashtags he believed to be mocking the incident. Lee submitted the footage to the WCCUSD alongside a formal complaint urging the district to send a clear message against racism by canceling Pinole Valley's remaining baseball season and conducting a public investigation. Suspended coach says he's being scapegoated Trending on NextShark: T'won Blake, Pinole Valley's head coach, said he received a letter of suspension on April 30. He told the San Francisco Chronicle he was not aware of the taunts until the day after the game and later addressed the issue with players. Blake said the comments came from spectators, not his team, and added, 'But without being given the opportunity to correct it in the moment, I'm not guilty of anything. I am absolutely the scapegoat.' District spokesperson Raechelle Forrest said officials are working to identify those involved in the incidents and emphasized that the district does not tolerate racism, hate speech or harassment in its schools or athletic programs. District pledges reforms Trending on NextShark: In a letter to families, WCCUSD Interim Superintendent Dr. Kim Moses said a formal investigation remains ongoing into both reported incidents to determine which individuals should be held accountable. Moses added that the district will begin distributing a Fan Code of Conduct guide at sporting events to reinforce appropriate behavior. The letter acknowledged the impact of the incidents, particularly on the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, stating, 'To those who have been impacted, please know you are seen, heard, and valued in our school communities.' Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Coaches Suspended After Players Allegedly Hurled Racist, Homophobic Comments at Rival Athletes During Games
A pair of high school baseball coaches from California have been suspended as the district investigates allegations that players on their team hurled slurs and insults toward players on at least two other teams T'won Blake and Will Tipton have suggested that spectators were behind the comments, not the players on their team, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Eugene Lee, the parent of a player allegedly subjected to one of the comments, has demanded that Pinole Valley High School's varsity baseball team's season come to an immediate endTwo high school baseball coaches have reportedly been suspended after players on the team allegedly made racist and homophobic comments toward athletes from at least two rival schools. T'won Blake, varsity baseball coach at Pinole Valley High School, and assistant coach Will Tipton recently learned they were placed on administrative leave in the days following the alleged incidents, according to CW affiliate KRON-TV. The insults were hurled on at least two occasions, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Footage from an April 23 game caught the moments when Asian players from Albany High School were the subject of racist jeers. At one point during the contest, some Pinole Valley players chanted 'Baljeet,' the name of an Indian character from the Disney cartoon Phineas and Ferb, while an Indian American student pitched for Albany, according to KRON-TV and ABC affiliate KGO-TV. During the same game, a Pinole Valley player can be heard yelling, "P.F. Chang is that you? I thought you was baby Shohei!" toward a Chinese American pitcher for Albany. Additionally, a parent of an Asian-American player from El Cerrito High School has alleged their son was the target of homophobic slurs shouted by Pinole Valley players during a game on April 16, according to the Chronicle. Blake learned of his suspension on April 30, the outlet reported. He claimed both he and Irving addressed the incidents with players, who claimed spectators were behind the comments. Irving later stated in an apology letter that 'a student in the crowd who was suspected of making the comments' was identified and that 'the issue was addressed with the individual.' Still, both coaches were suspended. Blake told the Chronicle that he never heard the inappropriate comments and was unaware of the issue until he was contacted by his Pinole Valley High School's athletic director. 'As a Black man, I don't stand for racism by any means,' Blake said, later claiming the stories about his team 'are exaggerated.' The coach added, 'They're creating a narrative that's negative to basically ruin our kids' future.' The head coach of Albany High School's team said Blake eventually apologized to the squad days later, according to NBC affiliate KNTV. But Eugene Lee, the parent of the player who was subjected to the 'P.F. Chang' comments, called for the Pinole Valley baseball team's season to end immediately in an April 30 letter to the West Contra Costa district, the Chronicle reported. Lee argued that, based on his son's account of the situation, the comment did not come from a spectator, but from a player. However, he said Blake should not bear the brunt of the blame, noting, 'there's a sense that these problems predate T'won.' "I don't feel like the coach should be this sort of single scapegoat," Lee said, KGO-TV reported. "I just don't understand why the district is so allergic to punishing the boys, I mean, there's a lesson to be learned here." In a statement, the West Contra Costa Unified School District acknowledged the two incidents and confirmed they were being investigated 'in accordance with district policy,' according to KGO-TV. 'While both investigations are ongoing, we want to be clear: racism, hate speech, and harassment have no place in our schools or athletic programs,' school officials added. 'We are working to identify those involved and are taking all necessary steps to ensure that conduct at athletic events reflects our core values of dignity, respect, and equity." The West Contra Costa Unified School District did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Read the original article on People
San Francisco Chronicle
08-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
East Bay high school suspends coaches as it investigates racist taunts at game
Pinole Valley High School has suspended two baseball coaches while it investigates anti-Asian taunts that were directed at players from Albany High School, the Chronicle has learned. West Contra Costa Unified School District also said it is investigating a separate alleged incident involving the Pinole Valley team after a parent of an Asian American player at El Cerrito High School sent a letter on April 30 to the school's athletic director alleging that their son, and another Asian-American teammate, had been subjected to homophobic slurs from Pinole players during an April 16 game. During the April 23 game at Pinole Valley against Albany, a video captured a South Asian pitcher and a Chinese American pitcher from Albany being heckled with taunts of 'Baljeet' — an Indian character on an animated TV show — and 'PF Chang,' prompting the Pinole Valley principal to apologize and the school district to investigate the incident. On Monday, T'won Blake, Pinole Valley's varsity baseball coach, told the Chronicle that he received a letter of suspension from Principal Todd Irving on April 30 and that his assistant coach was also suspended. Irving did not respond to a request for comment. The letter states that the decision was made 'in accordance with the pending investigation stemming from the April 23, 2025 baseball game vs. Albany High School,' according to a copy that Blake shared with the Chronicle. A well-known figure in the East Bay baseball community who has coached kids for two decades, Blake told the Chronicle he did not hear any inappropriate comments at either game. Blake said he didn't realize racist comments were made at the Albany game until the day after when his school's athletic director emailed and called him. Pinole's athletic director had been informed after the parent of an Albany player made a complaint, according to a copy of the email obtained by the Chronicle. After finding out, Blake said, he and Irving met with the players, asked them what happened and told them racism was unacceptable. Blake said Pinole student spectators were responsible for the taunts, not team members. Irving said in his apology letter that 'a student in the crowd who was suspected of making the comments' was identified and 'the issue was addressed with the individual.' 'As a Black man, I don't stand for racism by any means,' Blake said, adding that anybody on his team who made racist comments would be 'severely punished.' 'But without being given the opportunity to correct it in the moment, I'm not guilty of anything,' he said. 'I am absolutely the scapegoat.' West Contra Costa Unified School District spokesperson Raechelle Forrest said Friday it was 'actively working to identify the participants involved.' Forrest did not respond to questions about the coaches' suspension. Albany parents and officials with Albany United School District said they aren't satisfied with the response from the neighboring school and district. Sara Stone, superintendent of the Albany district, said in a Monday email to the school community that actions taken so far by Irving were 'insufficient given the severity of the incident,' according to a copy of the email shared with the Chronicle by a parent. Stone wrote that she asked the West Contra Costa school district to declare the team ineligible for postseason play, require Pinole Valley to forfeit the Albany games, which it won, and implement school-wide measures at Pinole Valley, including anti-racism education. Eugene Lee, whose son plays for Albany and was the target of the 'PF Chang' taunts, sent a letter on April 30 to the West Contra Costa district on behalf of Albany parents demanding immediate termination of the Pinole Valley season. He said he believes it was players, not students, who taunted his son and another Albany player, based on what his son told him. Although Lee said he thought Blake should have disciplined his players after he found out about the incident, he said the failure to respond sufficiently lies with school and district leaders, too. 'There's a sense that these problems predate T'won, and there's a feeling like he's being scapegoated, and that makes me unhappy,' Lee said. The parent of the Asian American player at El Cerrito who wrote the letter about the second allegation said he initially did not report anything about the April 16 game. Only after he heard that the Albany parents' complaints were being 'downplayed' did he decide to write a complaint, he said. Two El Cerrito players told the Chronicle that they heard Pinole players yell the slurs. The game's umpire, Darryl Allen, told the Chronicle he did not hear the taunts. The district spokesperson, Forrest, said the district was 'recently made aware' of a parent complaint regarding that alleged incident and there was an 'ongoing investigation.' 'Racism, hate speech and harassment are inexcusable and have no place in our schools or athletic programs,' Forrest said. Allen said that during the game 'the players were having some verbiage back and forth' but it was 'nothing out of the ordinary.' At one point, he said he asked both coaches to 'calm it down' and tell the players to stop talking, but that it was 'nothing racial.' 'I didn't hear anything,' Allen said. 'Whatever they saw and heard, they kept it to themselves. I find it hard to believe that all this went on and you didn't alert the umpire in no kind of way, nothing?' Blake said he saw one of his pitchers 'smirk' at an El Cerrito player who told the Chronicle that he was called a homophobic slur. But Blake said it was 'nothing derogatory' and he didn't hear any racist or homophobic comments. 'It was peaceful,' Blake said. 'All the stories are exaggerated. They're creating a narrative that's negative to basically ruin our kids' future.' Two parents pushing for the termination of Pinole's season said they want the district to use this as a 'teachable moment.' 'The district fails if they allow this to go without consequences because then it normalizes racism against Asian Americans,' one parent, whose son was allegedly subject to the taunts, told the Chronicle.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2 coaches suspended after racist remarks fly at East Bay high school baseball game
ALBANY, Calif. (KRON) — Two high school coaches in California have been suspended weeks after a baseball game where one team hurled racist remarks at the other — all caught on cell phone video. What is a Grade 1 hamstring strain? Curry injury explained by doctors The incident (shown in the video player above) happened on April 23 during a baseball game between Albany and Pinole Valley high schools in the East Bay. During the game, players from Pinole Valley called Asian players 'P.F. Chang,' after the Chinese restaurant chain. This was followed by them chanting 'Baljeet,' an Indian character from the Disney show 'Phineas and Ferb.' Photo courtesy of Eugene Lee. The West Contra Costa School District confirmed to KRON4 on Wednesday that two sports staff members at Pinole Valley High School — identified as Head Coach T'won Blake and Assistant Coach Will Tipton — have since been put on administrative leave pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation. In statement released from WCCSD, a spokesperson said: The district is committed to a fair and thorough process, and we cannot comment further on personnel matters at this time. In addition to clarifying the status of our coaches, we want to reiterate that the district's primary focus remains on ensuring a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all students. WCCUSD does not tolerate racism or harassment of any kind, and we are committed to identifying those responsible and taking appropriate action in alignment with district policy. The district is committed to a fair process and will act accordingly once the investigation concludes. West Contra Costa School District After the incident, the superintendent of Albany Unified School District sent out a district-wide e-mail saying that they've filed several complaints and spoke with Pinole Valley High School's principal and athletic director. The situation left parents outraged. 'If we normalize that kind of language and that kind of behavior on the field, it's just going to escalate,' said Eugene Lee, parent to one of the targeted players. Parents from other schools alleged that the April 23 game wasn't an isolated incident, saying a similar situation previously played out at a game at nearby El Cerrito High School. KRON4 will more on this story as it develops. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
