Video Shows Racist, Homophobic Student Chants At High School Basketball Game

What should have been a normal basketball game between two Catholic high schools in Ohio became sinister Friday. Videos surfaced on the internet showing the student section at Elder High School shouting racist and homophobic chants aimed at the players on the opposing team, from St. Xavier, WLWT-5 reported.

The two all-male prep schools in Cincinnati made it three quarters through a basketball game before it was stopped because of the slurs being shouted. An Asian St. Xavier player was taunted with shouts about P.F. Chang’s and opening his eyes, while another black player faced chanting about being on welfare and smoking crack. According to the mother of one of the targeted players, the entire Elder student section participated in the chanting.

There were also chants containing the homophobic F-word directed at the St. Xavier student section, which can be briefly heard in the video below.

Elder High School principal Kurt Ruffing was not at the game, per the Cincinnati Enquirer, but wrote an apology to those who were targeted. The letter was published in full on the Elder website.

"Such behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Elder High School regrets the extraordinarily hurtful language and severe lack of respect displayed by its students," Ruffing said. "We sincerely apologize to the St. Xavier basketball team, its coaching staff, their student section, and all of the fans, family members and alumni of both schools. This type of behavior is contrary to our Catholic faith, and does not reflect the lessons taught in our classrooms, hallways, and on our fields of play."

Elder brought the entire student body in for a school assembly once classes were back in session after the weekend. The school will reportedly hold sessions, starting this Friday, to educate students on the importance of diversity and the gravity of racist actions like the chanting during the basketball game. Those sessions will feature guest speakers, according to Ruffing’s letter.