Eugene district report backs up slurs allegations.

Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard

An internal investigation by the Eugene School District's chief security officer further bolsters claims by students and staff from Portland's Roosevelt High School that Eugene fans - teens and adults - used racial slurs against them after games in the Class 5A boys basketball tournament at the University of Oregon's McArthur Court in March.

Dan Davis' 10-page report, released Tuesday, echoes much of what was described in a lengthier report ordered by the Oregon School Activities Association and released last week, although Davis' focused more narrowly on alleged misconduct by Eugene students.

Superintendent George Russell said he was disappointed, though not surprised, by the latest findings.

"I do think that probably from my standpoint, I was hopeful that some of this investigating would say a lot of this didn't happen, but that didn't happen," said Russell, who released his own response to Davis' report Tuesday.

In it, Russell concurs with Davis' conclusions and offers a series of observations and recommendations, such as reviewing protocols for fan management at athletic events and ensuring students receive sufficient education on standards of conduct and diversity issues.

Davis contacted 86 witnesses, 71 of whom agreed to interviews. They included a dozen students from North Eugene High School, nine from Churchill and six from Roosevelt. The students' names were redacted from the report.

"Based on the totality of responses I find that there is sufficient facts to support allegations of inappropriate behavior and racial slurs," Davis wrote. "Observations from a variety of students, staff, parents and officials attach blame to students from all three schools."

Davis focused on five allegations that had been reported by students and the media: that some Eugene students used the word "nigger" in addressing Roosevelt students; that a South Eugene student asked something akin to, "What are all these black guys doing here?" when she spotted the Roosevelt team practicing in the South gymnasium; that garbage and bottles were thrown at Roosevelt students on their bus; that the Roosevelt coach was called "nigger" outside a Springfield restaurant; and that students in a passing car yelled at the Roosevelt principal that they would burn down her school.

Among his findings:

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." Roosevelt students also used "a great deal of profanity" and comments such as "cracker" and "honky."

"What is not clear is if these remarks from the respective schools were retaliatory, and interviews could not identify who or what originated the sequence of events," Davis wrote. One black Eugene student (Davis does not say which school he attended) admitted using the word "nigger" but said Roosevelt students called him the same.

Davis could not confirm a claim by a North Eugene student that he heard a North Eugene girl call a Roosevelt girl a "nigger," but he said the North Eugene girl admitted to using the word later at a party while describing the earlier altercation.

Russell said there's no doubt in his mind that interaction after the game "escalated to name calling that was both racially and sexually offensive."

"The inappropriate name-calling may have occurred from both sides, but my interest is in the behavior of our students and fans and what needs to be corrected to ensure there is no next time," he wrote.

The South Eugene student denied making the remark about the Roosevelt team; administrators believe that she said it but may not remember because she has attention problems and is prone to impulsive behavior. The Roosevelt coach, Robert Key, said he was satisfied with how the incident was handled and "didn't take it as a racial comment."

Davis could not confirm that garbage or bottles were thrown at Roosevelt students.

Coach Key said a group of young white men drove by while he was making a call outside the Outback Steakhouse in Springfield and yelled "nigger." Neither he nor Davis believe that the men had connections to any Eugene high school.

Russell said he found Key's claim believable, as it's something he's experienced himself in Eugene and Springfield.

Davis identified the students Peterson reported threatening to burn down Roosevelt; while at least one, a black student, acknowledged making inappropriate remarks after the game - including the word "nigger," which he said Roosevelt students called him - he denied that anyone talked about burning down the school.

Davis said events that preceded the post-game taunts contributed to the Roosevelt students' perception of a hostile environment, including being made to wait on the bus for 30 to 45 minutes while others entered Mac Court. When they finally did enter, they were greeted with boos, and when team members were introduced, Eugene fans turned their backs - something of a tradition at local high school sporting events, Athletic Director Pat Latimer said, and one that perhaps should end.

"It's something that the Eugene kids have copied from the (UO)," said Latimer, who assisted Davis with the investigation. "I'm not sure they understand. What we've talked about is just the whole thing of sportsmanship - you know, where do you draw the line of being a great supporter of your team and just being out-and-out rude." Russell agreed "there needs to be a conversation" about appropriate fan conduct, and noted that a lack of "cross-cultural understanding" may have played a role.

"A number of the black kids took it as disrespectful as related to their race, so how do you bridge that kind of communication piece, that misperception piece?" he said.

Russell, who attended both North Eugene's and Churchill's games against Roosevelt, said he's optimistic about a daylong, facilitated student retreat planned for May 9 for groups of students from all three schools.

"I hope as the kids talk about it next week that they'll come up with some suggestions for what is acceptable," he said.

He said the report underscores the fact that racism is a broader community problem.

"I don't know that there's much to be gained by pointing fingers and playing the blame game," he said. "It does point up that we still have work to do both in the community and in our schools, and that we need to keep along that path."