Prep football: ‘Slave auction video’ leads to River Valley High forfeit, investigation
River Valley High School’s varsity football team is forfeiting Friday night’s contest at Woodcreek due to the discovery of a “disturbing” video depicting a slave auction, according to the Yuba City Unified School District.
In an email sent to district staff members Thursday night, including those at River Valley High, YCUSD Superintendent Doreen Osumi announced the forfeiture of the Capital Valley Conference game in Roseville, saying the school district has launched an investigation into a “disgraceful” video made by River Valley players.
In the email, Osumi wrote, “I received a copy of a recording of River Valley High School football team members acting out a reprehensible act of a slave auction. The recording clearly demonstrates that this situation was orchestrated and organized, which underscores my concern that students spent time contemplating this terrible act without the slightest regard that this action is hateful and hurtful.”
The letter continued: “(River Valley players) may argue that it was a joke, and they intended no harm, but the fact is that this is not only harmful, it is disgraceful.”
Osumi said the district office is “investigating the situation to determine which players were involved and to offer our support and sincere regard for the humiliation and anger that this must be causing.”
River Valley entered the week 0-5. The forfeit places the Falcons at 0-6.
Osumi concluded her email with: “We will be working with our administration and coaches to address the training that our athletic team requires in order to act with character and dignity at all times.”
The governing body for the California Interscholastic Federation has a motto of “Pursuing Victory With Honor.” The CIF leaves it up to the administration of its member schools to impose punishment. Will DeBoard, assistant commissioner of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section, said all schools and teams should adhere to decency.
“We expect our schools and the kids representing those schools to behave the right way,” DeBoard said.
Woodcreek was able to schedule a late replacement for River Valley and will host Hiram Johnson on Friday night.
This is the second regional school to have a district launch an investigation into team conduct. Amador High School of Sutter Creek had its varsity football season canceled earlier this week due to an Amador County Unified School District investigation into a social media group chat among players with racial undertones.
This story was originally published September 29, 2022 at 11:18 PM.