Latest news with #PinoleValleyHighSchool
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Coaches reinstated after probe into racist taunts at Bay Area high school baseball game
[Source] Pinole Valley High School's head baseball coach, T'won Blake, and assistant coach, Will Tipton, will return to their positions following an internal investigation into racist taunts allegedly directed at Albany High School players of Asian descent during a varsity game on April 23. West Contra Costa Unified School District officials told KRON4 that investigators were unable to confirm who made the remarks and said the coaches were unaware of the comments until after the game. District officials said both coaches cooperated fully with the inquiry and acted appropriately once informed of the incident. In response, the district will place a school administrator and the athletic director at all remaining Pinole Valley baseball games. Albany Unified School District maintains that the taunts came from the Pinole Valley dugout. The reinstatement has drawn criticism from some parents, including Eugene Lee, who questioned the lack of disciplinary action for players. Lee, whose son was one of the players targeted by the remarks, continues to call for stronger accountability and broader institutional change. WCCUSD has reiterated its commitment to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment for all students. 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. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! 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
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.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Allegations of racist taunts swirl during East Bay high school baseball game
ALBANY, Calif. - An East Bay high school varsity baseball team celebrated its senior night on Friday, but the excitement was overshadowed by a disturbing scene at a recent game where several players faced racist taunts from opposing players. What we know A video clip posted online showed portions of an April 23 game between Albany High School's varsity baseball team and Pinole Valley High School. The video appears to show racist taunts and jeers hurled by players on Pinole's team at their opponents. "We record every single game so the boys can have highlights," said Eugene Lee, an Albany parent who also serves as the chief scorekeeper. "For my son, they chanted 'PF Chang, is that you?' They said, 'He can't see through those eyes,'" Lee recalled. Dig deeper Lee said he considered letting the offense slide until he discussed the incident with his family and then found out Pinole Valley players were accused of committing a similar offense a week earlier against Asian players on El Cerrito High School's baseball team. "Bigoted slurs were directed towards my child and the other Asian American baseball player on El Cerrito High," said El Cerrito parent Anatalio Ubalde. "Racist actions from the Pinole Valley varsity baseball team are clearly systemic. This is not an isolated issue," said Dr. Shaun Fletcher, a public relations and sports communication expert at San Jose State. "This rises well beyond simple heckling or trying to get under your opponent's skin." Albany Unified School District Superintendent Sara Stone sent a letter to parents that read in part, "Members of the Albany team and community were subjected to racist remarks. AUSD is committed to protecting all of our students from racial harassment and intimidation. Albany High student athletes know that they are held to high standards of respectful and ethical behavior. We expect the same from the teams we meet in friendly competition and will not tolerate racialized harassment." Stone said she has reached out to the West Contra Costa Unified superintendent and that the situation is not fully resolved. What they're saying Todd Irving, the principal of Pinole Valley, penned an apology letter that read in part, "I want to extend our sincere concern and apologies regarding the unacceptable conduct that occurred..." Irving said he met with his team and reaffirmed that racist and unsportsmanlike behavior won't be tolerated. He also said that all players were required to retake their sportsmanship certification. Why you should care "You've brought hate onto the field and now it's overflowed into the community," said Lee. Added Stone, "If my students, if my players had done the same thing, they would not be playing baseball for the rest of the season." Albany school district officials and experts said the punishment of the offending Pinole Valley students should be swift and targeted. "They must come with something beyond just words and beyond just conversation that ensures it's a safe space. Actions speak louder than words," said Fletcher. Both school districts are investigating, and the California Interscholastic Federation, the governing body, could too. As for the schools in question, they're still playing and could face each other in upcoming playoff games. If that happens, some Albany players have said they would rather forfeit than play Pinole Valley. Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the South Bay bureau. Follow him on the Instagram platform, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU. The Source Interviews, along with statements from Albany Unified School District and Pinole Valley High principal, Todd Irving.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Yahoo
Armed high school student fled campus, dumped loaded gun: Pinole PD
(KRON) — The Pinole Police Department said officers responded Friday to the report of a Pinole Valley High School student with a firearm. Google dumping Assistant for AI-powered 'Gemini' The incident unfolded at the school's campus located on the 2900 block of Pinole Valley Road. Pinole PD said it was able to identify the student with the help of school staff, but the student took off and fled campus when approached by officers. Police confirmed officers quickly located the student close by the school. A canvas of the area by police upturned a loaded firearm that is pictured below. It is not clear what led to the student bringing the gun to school. It was not mentioned in a Facebook post by the Pinole Police Department if the student's parents were notified of the incident or what charges the student may face. Pinole police said in the post, 'This incident highlights the strong collaboration between our officers and school staff and reinforces our commitment to keeping our schools and community safe.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
