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Racist Remarks from Southern Columbia Surface after State Title Win over Westinghouse

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MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Following Westinghouse’s State Championship game against the Southern Columbia Tigers, members of the Westinghouse community alerted Pittsburgh Sports Now to racially insensitive statements made by Tigers’ supporters.

Over 90% of Westinghouse’s students are African-American, per the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Southern Columbia is 95.1 percent white, with just .5 percent of their student body identifying as African-American

Southern Columbia’s sports teams posted images of a school pep rally to Facebook, including one of a poster that said “Whip Westinghouse” with a drawing of a whip. 

A TikTok surfaced after the game with audio containing the n-word as the people who were recorded raised a sign the PIAA gives players on the championship winning team. 

After hearing of the Facebook posts, Westinghouse assistant coach James Cowart said that he didn’t hear any racial remarks during the game. 

“There was some chirping going on on the field, but none of our guys made any reference to any of it being racist,” Cowart said. “Those signs [are] unfortunate, and in poor taste, but I don’t think they reflect anything that I witnessed out of their players or coaches.”

Cowart expressed his disappointment with the TikTok, but said that “regardless of the things that have been brought to light, they beat us fair and square and I don’t want to take anything away from their win.”

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
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Fjb
Fjb
1 year ago

Just stop. Stick to facts, not hearsay.

RonDon
RonDon
1 year ago
Reply to  Fjb

When there’s a video of them saying the N-word available on the internet that’s not hearsay. Also, whether it’s intentional or not, saying you’re going to whip a black person certainly has a racial undertone. The Westinghouse coach handled it as well as he could and with class.

Fjb
Fjb
1 year ago
Reply to  RonDon

You need to realize that the N word is used in every football game played these days. It’s all about context. Post the video and let’s see what was said. Until then, it is hearsay.

Bob
Bob
1 year ago
Reply to  Fjb

You are seriously the problem. The video is a Tiktok video with two young boys holding the PIAA championship sign. Please if you don’t know the facts, don’t put your two cents in. You do know what hearsay means, right. The video is on twitter, look it up.

Fjb
Fjb
1 year ago
Reply to  Bob

Sorry I triggered you Bob. To be clear, racism is wrong. I don’t use Twitter. Do you have a link to the video?? If you would like readers to know all of the facts then perhaps they should be presented in the article. This was my original point. Would you agree that a responsible journalist should include a link to the video within the story itself?

Michael Conti
Michael Conti
1 year ago
Reply to  Fjb

Fjb: what difference does it make if the video surfaces in the original article or later? The video is factual. That’s all that matters. Showing it at a later time doesn’t make it any less truthful. You must be from that rich community of Souther Columbia that has problems with race.

Dixon
Dixon
1 year ago
Reply to  Fjb

Really?…the n word was used in every football game? Guess racism is alive and well in the USA…the “context” doesn’t make it acceptable.

Reggie
Reggie
1 year ago
Reply to  Dixon

Ummmm yes, the word was used by alot of the Westinghouse players during that game, I heard it. As well as hundreds of other people. Fact is that the kid in the video said nothing. He didn’t even mouth it. A song was played. In fact that song that was played by Westinghouse players that day during warm ups! Just saying since ur all about the facts I wanted u to know the facts.

Last edited 1 year ago by Reggie
Michael Conti
Michael Conti
1 year ago
Reply to  Reggie

Westinghouse players used a racist word? Where’s the video for proof? Where’s the proof that Westinghouse used that song during warmups????Anyone can come out and accuse people like you’re doing. IF Westinghouse players did use a racist word during the game then, “2 wrongs don’t make a right.” It doesn’t it justify Southern Columbia players or fans doing it. As far as the video is concerned, which I saw, the player who MADE THE VIDEO, which contained racist language, obviously was on the team regardless of whether the guy in the video used racist language or not. If a fan… Read more »

Reggie
Reggie
1 year ago
Reply to  Dixon

Are u offended when it is used in almost every rap song or movie or TV show? Holding one standard for one race or ufsing a word and another standard for another race for using same word, is racist! I believe anyone who uses the word is asking for trouble, but same standards need to be held for all if u want to help the issue. But I have a feeling u don’t want to, u want further division it seems

Dixon
Dixon
1 year ago
Reply to  Reggie

Not going to get into an endless back and forth about the subject of racism in the “comments” section of PSN, but if you believe that this was just two innocent white kids making a video and can’t understand why it would be considered offensive to African Americans, than we will just have to agree to disagree.

Danielle Graham Robinson
Danielle Graham Robinson
1 year ago
Reply to  Reggie

You really don’t think that the context in which words are used matter when discerning the intent of people using it!? You really want to be that obtuse!? Are you REALLY suggesting that white kids using undeniably racist imagery like whips on their signage, when they’re playing an all black team isn’t a really big problem!!??

Craig
Craig
1 year ago

The kids who posted that on tik tok aren’t very smart. I would think they will get suspended from school at the least

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