North Side High families demand action and transparency after racist incident at FWISD football game

Someone needs to be held accountable for what happened at Arlington Heights High School on Sept. 13, North Side High School parent Claudia Palacios told the Fort Worth ISD board.

Students need to be heard and believed, said Mia Morales, Fort Worth ISD student leader.

Nearly two weeks after North Side High School cheerleaders reported hearing racist slurs directed at them by an Arlington Heights High School cheer squad during a football game, those affected are demanding action. The county's investigation into that night's events is ongoing. Some actions have already been taken, board President Roxanne Martinez said during a Sept. 24 school board meeting.

“Fort Worth ISD students are watching, we are paying attention and we expect better,” Morales told trustees.

Palacios holds the board responsible for what happens next, she said. She and her parents want to see not only potential perpetrators punished, but also any adults who didn't take proper action in the incident. The North Side cheerleaders are still waiting for a public apology from the district. These students deserve better and parents deserve transparency and answers, she said.

“Is Fort Worth ISD really one?” Palacios asked, referring to outgoing Superintendent Angélica Ramsey’s slogan created for this school year: One Fort Worth ISD.

On September 14, Martinez announced that she was aware of the North Side High School community's concerns and that discrimination would not be tolerated. In a Sept. 15 Facebook post, the district said it was investigating the incident.

Trustee Camille Rodriguez was appalled by the racist behavior displayed at the Sept. 13 football game, she said in her own Sept. 15 Facebook post.

“There is no place in 2024 for racist epithets to be hurled at our students and their families,” she said. “We have to lead by example.”

The investigation will be conducted by district staff trained in matters related to allegations of discrimination.

Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation and potential findings that may arise from the current code of conduct, as well as actions already taken, the district is unable to provide more detailed information, Martinez said.

“We want to assure our community that Fort Worth ISD remains committed to promoting equity and inclusion throughout our district,” she said during the Sept. 24 board meeting, minutes after the board voted to accept Ramsey’s resignation .

Regardless, Palacios and his parents are still waiting for consequences.

“The community deserves significant change to prevent something like this from happening again,” Palacios said.

To bring about the changes Palacios hopes for — and to address systemic issues and promote an inclusive environment — the district's Racial Equity Committee will continue to play an important role, Martinez said.

The Racial Equity Committee, chaired by Trustee Quinton Phillips, last met on June 6, 2024 at the District Teaching and Learning Center. Martinez and Trustee Wallace Bridges also serve on the committee, which is made up of county administrators and some community members.

Prior to the conclusion of this meeting, Phillips informed members that the next meeting of the committee would be on October 3, 2024. The committee meetings are not public.

“We will continue to work with our students, staff and community to ensure all voices are heard and we uphold our district’s values ​​of justice and respect,” Martinez said.

The voices of the students who lived through that night of September 13th should be raised, according to Morales. When the North Side cheer team spoke about what they had reportedly been through, they were not only met with hostility but also accused of being liars, she said. These community members perpetuated the racism the district was supposed to combat, Morales said.

Martinez applauded these students.

“We appreciate the courage of the North Side High School cheerleaders in pushing this issue forward, as well as the leadership of the students of Arlington Heights High School,” Martinez said, referring to students who apologized for the actions shown during the game.

Although the district's actions are not yet public, Martinez pledged to provide an update as soon as possible. She said she expected a legal briefing on the matter soon.

“Fort Worth ISD remains committed to transparency and accountability and will provide further updates as we are able,” Martinez said.

Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at [email protected] or @MatthewSgroi1.

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