Gig Harbor student removed after racial incident during basketball game at Lincoln High
In a boys basketball game between Gig Harbor and Lincoln high schools in Tacoma on Dec. 13, a Gig Harbor student directed a racially charged reference toward a Lincoln player on the court, according to a statement Dec. 16 from the Peninsula School District. The student was a spectator in the stands.
The student involved was immediately confronted by Gig Harbor High School administrators and removed from the game, according to the statement.
“This behavior is unacceptable, does not reflect the values we strive to uphold, and is in direct opposition to who we want to be as a district community,” the statement reads.
The incident wasn’t an isolated occurrence for the Peninsula School District. The district said similar issues arose in a basketball game against Lincoln last year and that during a football game against Lincoln this fall, a Gig Harbor player used a racist term toward a Lincoln player.
“We are incredibly disappointed by these behaviors and recognize them as part of a larger issue that we, as a district, must address,” the district’s statement reads.
Last year, there was also an investigation of a Gig Harbor girls basketball player calling a Peninsula High School player a racial slur during a game.
The district has had other recent issues involving its athletic programs. The 2023 “Fish Bowl” rivalry football game between Gig Harbor and Peninsula was marked by controversy after a player was sent to the hospital because of a late hit. The game exposed crowd-control and safety concerns, prompting it to be moved to Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma this fall.
In the wake of the Dec. 13 incident, the Peninsula School District said it is actively working to address the issues.
“We recognize that some concerns within our community may have gone unresolved or lacked the attention they deserved in the past,” the statement reads. “We want to assure everyone that moving forward, we are fully committed to addressing these issues with transparency, accountability, and thoroughness.”
This story was originally published December 18, 2024 at 7:00 AM.
