'No next time'.

Byline: The Register-Guard

It happened. Perhaps not exactly the way that staff and students from Portland's Roosevelt High School said it did. But that's of little consequence. The point is it happened.

An exhaustive internal investigation by the Eugene School District supports claims that Eugene fans, both teenagers and adults, spewed racial slurs at Roosevelt students and staff during the course of the Class 5A boys basketball tournament at the University of Oregon's McArthur Court in March.

Did Roosevelt students and fans engage in any inappropriate behavior, name-calling themselves? Apparently. The Eugene district's investigation indicates they did, although details remain unclear. But that's a matter for Roosevelt school officials to deal with.

As Eugene School District Superintendent George Russell appropriately told the school board in his recent report on the incident: "My interest is in the behavior of our students and fans, and what needs to be corrected to ensure there is no next time."

Shortly after Russell was notified by Roosevelt Principal Deborah Peterson of allegations involving racism at the OSAA tournament, the Eugene superintendent initiated an investigation by Dan Davis, the district's chief security adviser. Davis spent several weeks interviewing 71 witnesses at North Eugene and Churchill high schools in Eugene and at Roosevelt in Portland.

If Eugene school officials were hoping that the investigation would find the complaints groundless, they were sorely disappointed. "Based on the totality of responses," Davis said he found "sufficient facts to support allegations of inappropriate behavior and racial slurs."

Davis' conclusions were patently disturbing, but none more so than his finding that unidentified Eugene students and adult fans used the word "nigger," as well as profanity and comments such as "go back to where you came from."

The investigation was less conclusive on other allegations. For example, Davis was unable to either confirm or deny reports that Eugene students threw garbage or bottles at Roosevelt students on their bus. While Davis succeeded in identifying students whom Peterson said had threatened to burn down her school, he was unable to verify the actual threat. (Based on the other incidents that transpired, it seems likely that this threat - or something close to it - was made.)

Davis rightly observed that earlier events at the tournament may have contributed to the hostile post-game atmosphere. They included what has become an unfortunate tradition at local high school sporting events: students and fans turning their backs when the visiting team comes on to the floor.

It's not difficult to imagine how some black students from Roosevelt, who Davis noted had to wait on their bus for up to 45 minutes while others entered McArthur Court, interpreted that gesture as, at the least, disrespectful, and, at worst, racially charged.

In reality, it was probably neither. Just a numbheaded local tradition, one borrowed from the University of Oregon's Pit Crew, and one that Eugene school officials would be well advised to discourage as unsportsmanlike behavior.

Along with an earlier investigation by former Oregon Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Deits for the Oregon School Activities Association, the Eugene district's review makes it clear that both local students and adults engaged in inappropriate - and, at times, racist - behavior. While Roosevelt and OSAA officials may have their own issues to address, Eugene school officials must now make certain they do whatever is necessary to, in Russell's words, ensure "there is no next time."

So far, the district has taken the rights steps, starting with its thorough investigation. They include disciplining students when warranted, and reviewing district programs to make certain students and staff receive adequate training on discrimination, harassment and other diversity issues.

Perhaps more importantly, students from Roosevelt, North Eugene and Churchill high schools will gather this week for a daylong retreat where they hopefully will engage in a face-to-face, heartfelt discussion of the painful but unavoidable issues raised by the tournament incidents.

With the completion of the district's investigation, it's time for the finger-pointing to end - and the teaching to begin.