A predominantly Hispanic high school basketball team had tortillas thrown at them after a championship game Saturday night, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
The incident occurred after Coronado High School defeated Escondido Orange Glen High School 60-57 in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern California Boys Basketball Division 4-A Regional Championship game on Saturday. Coaches from the schools were bickering with each other after the game when basketball players from Escondido Orange Glen High School had tortillas thrown at them. Coronado police are investigating the incident, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. (RELATED: HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL MASCOT FIGHT!!! [VIDEO])
The CIF released a statement on Sunday saying it has started an investigation into the incident as well, the Escondido Times-Advocate reported. “The CIF prohibits discrimination or any acts that are disrespectful or demeaning toward a member school, student-athlete, or school community,” the letter said. “We are therefore working with the administration of both high schools in addressing this matter and upon receipt and review of incident reports from both schools, the CIF will determine the appropriate next steps.”
Coronado High School basketball coach fired after tortillas thrown at opposing team from mostly Latino school https://t.co/rhO33TWxfO
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 23, 2021
The Coronado school board issued an apology to Orange Glen High School athletes, parents, teachers and staff, as well, the Times-Advocate reported. In the apology, the Coronado board condemned the acts and declared, “these acts to be egregious, demeaning, and disrespectful. We fully condemn the racism, classism and colorism which fueled the actions of the perpetrators.”
Also, according to eyewitnesses, J.D. Laaperi, the coach from Coronado High School was allegedly heard saying inappropriate language to the Escondido coach and team, the Escondido Times-Advocate reported. “Get your (expletive deleted) loser team off my court,” the Coronado coach allegedly said to the Escondido coach after the game, the Times-Advocate reported. Laaperi sent out an apology on Twitter and alleged that a community member brought tortillas to the game and passed them out to players on his team. He alleged the incident was racist and unacceptable.
Unfortunately a community member brought tortillas and distributed them which was unacceptable and racist in nature. I do not condone this behavior. Coronado High School does not condone this behavior and is already taking appropriate action.
— JD Laaperi (@jdlaaperi) June 20, 2021
Laaperi was fired after a 5-0 vote by the Coronado Unified School Board during an emergency meeting on Tuesday night, ABC News reported.