Alleged racist incident against Hays CISD volleyball players 'cannot be verified', Comal ISD says
HAYS COUNTY, Texas - According to Comal ISD, allegations of racist comments made toward Hays High School volleyball players during a match cannot be verified, but Hays CISD is standing by their students.
About a week ago, a Hays CISD parent claimed her daughters, as well as other volleyball players, were called the "N-word" during their match against Canyon High School.
"When people call Black folks that name and threatening people, that goes to a whole other level," Austin NAACP President Nelson Linder said.
Comal ISD said after reviewing video and gathering statements from more than 30 people who were at the game, they did not find evidence to back the claims made.
In a statement Comal ISD said, "Other than the two statements from the Hays players, none of the other individuals who provided statements reported hearing anyone making the statement 'make a play N-word.'"
"It's become a habit to try things in the press so to speak and have a lot of people vent and cast people as guilty until proven innocent, so I was cautiously optimistic that the investigation would prove otherwise," Comal ISD parent Glenn Herman said.
In the video released by the district, it appears the Hays CISD players in blue look back at the student section. A few minutes later, someone gets off the bench and as she's walking back to sit down, a woman addresses the student section.
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"I can see students being rowdy, especially if you're behind the other bench, and you're trying to distract them, but do I see it degrading to that point, no, I really don't," Herman said.
Comal ISD said during the investigation they did find a group of three students having a conversation that involved the use of racial slurs aimed at each other, and they've received disciplinary consequences.
"It is absolutely unacceptable in any environment," Linder said.
In a statement, Hays CISD said, "Because it's Comal ISD's investigation into its own students, it is their conclusion to make. The Hays CISD inquiry into the matter finds that the Hays High School students are being truthful and have no reason to lie."
FOX 7 Austin has reached out to the parent who made the allegations on Facebook for comment, and she hasn't responded.