VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) will have a school board meeting on Tuesday, where the conduct of one school's baseball team will be addressed publicly.
Kempsville High School's boys varsity baseball team forfeited its season earlier this month after VBCPS said an investigation uncovered evidence of racism, hate speech, and harassment.
During Tuesday's school board meeting, the COVA Coalition, a progressive political activist group, is calling on community members to show up and speak out during the public comment period about the evidence of racism and hate speech that brought the school baseball team's season to a screeching halt.
The coalition is urging people to speak at the meeting and ask the school division to take direct action against racist behavior.
Last week, 13News Now sat down with Virginia Beach Superintendent Dr. Don Robertson, who calls the racism and harassment "devastating" and "deeply troubling."
"We will not tolerate this type of behavior at all," he said.
In a letter sent to families Friday, Robertson expanded on the recent revelations and said they are revisiting their policies.
"Recently, we experienced a deeply troubling situation involving discrimination, harassment, and hate speech within one of our school athletic programs. This incident represents a dark day for Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) because as a community of staff, students, and families, we must all do our part to create an environment where all can thrive regardless of individual differences. VBCPS is a division comprised of over 64,000 students that speak over 75 different languages and are served by over 13,000 employees from varied cultural backgrounds. This diversity is a strength, and we must value and nurture strengths as part of continuous growth and improvement.
As Superintendent of VBCPS, I want to be perfectly clear: Racism, hate speech, harassment, and discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated in our athletic programs or within our schools. We have long-standing policies against discrimination and hate speech, we provide staff training on the importance of belonging and well-being, and we benefit from a diverse student body. I am working closely with families and staff to revisit our policies and practices, enhancing our understanding of diverse cultures, and ensuring strict consequences for those who fail to demonstrate respect for all people.
A community leader keenly shared a vision which aligns directly with that of VBCPS, to build a united community that values diversity and camaraderie, both in sports and within the classroom. I fully support this vision and believe our actions to come will strengthen VBCPS. As a school division and community, we will work together to create a culture that values and respects everyone."
"If you see behaviors where a student or a group is being minimized, being harassed, being bullied and you work for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, you're required to report that," Robertson said in the interview with 13News Now.
The families of the victims in the baseball team incident released a statement on Thursday saying they have chosen not to pursue legal action. Instead, they say they are focused on fostering a collaborative relationship with the school division and to drive positive change
"Our ultimate goal is to move forward, building a united community that values diversity and camaraderie, both in sports and within the classroom," they said.
The school board meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the School Administration Building #6, located at 2512 George Mason Drive.