North Dakota leaders vow no tolerance for racist taunts at sporting events, warn of deeper bigotry – InForum

BISMARCK — Racist comments at high school basketball games in Jamestown and Dickinson recently sparked widespread discussion about sports behavior and a potentially deeper racial issue in North Dakota.

In a game between Jamestown High School and Bismarck High School on January 31, video showed students from the Jamestown Fan Section yelling the N-word and making monkey noises toward a black Bismarck player and scalping motions toward a Native American basketball player.

On February 11, Turtle Mountain High School traveled to Dickinson for a basketball game where students of color were racially taunted, with one person mocking Native American culture by performing a dance.

These two incidents prompted Rep. Jayme Davis, D-Rolette, a chartered member of Chippewa’s Turtle Mountain Band, to propose concurrent House Resolution 3022 to the House Education Committee to consider the study and clarification of expectations of reasonable viewer behavior and consequences for breaching those expectations.

Davis told the committee that the two incidents were not uncommon.

“If those were the only two incidents that ever happened in North Dakota, I wouldn’t be here,” Davis testified. “Unfortunately, this has been happening for decades.”

In an interview, Davis said she experienced racist comments while playing basketball in the early 1990s.

Four other testimonies were presented to the House Education Committee, each containing personal experiences of racism against student athletes.

Steve Koontz, director of community relations at Bismarck Public Schools, said in an interview that the incidents have sparked a collaboration between schools to prevent future instances of racism and bigotry.

“I know there has been some discussion and collaboration between the Jamestown and Bismarck public schools, (and) our Indian director of education has been in touch with them,” Koontz said. “There are always educational opportunities that would hopefully prevent this behavior in the future.”

When asked why students might feel empowered to make racist comments, Knutz said, “I hope students know better. When you deal with students that age, maturity factors come into play.”

In an interview, Dickinson Public Schools Superintendent Marcus Lewton said that their athletic director visited the students after the Jamestown-Bismarck incident to remind them of the importance of good sportsmanship, only for the Turtle Mountain High School incident to be less than common two weeks later.

In response to the controversy, the North Dakota High School Activities Association updated its code of conduct. The new rules include a ban on the use of artificial noise generators such as whistles and cowbells during matches.

The new rules also prohibit the use of profane language, including racist remarks, during matches, with the penalty of immediate ban from the activity if violated.

Davis said in an interview that she is disappointed with the response, or lack of response, from administrators and umpires when these events occur.

“Why do we sit on the sidelines and say, ‘I didn’t see that,’ or ‘I didn’t hear that,'” Davis asked. “No, the whole gym heard it, it’s on video.”

Davis said she even witnessed racism in the Legislature earlier in the session. She served on the political subdivision committee and discussed HB 1155, a bill relating to protected area status. During the discussion, someone asked how the law would affect tribal nations.

“There was a representative … He looked right at me and said, ‘Why are Indians even considered citizens of the United States?'” Davis said.

“That comment hurt. I wanted to scream and scream. But I knew that was on record and if it ever came back he would have to answer for it. I did my best to raise him and move on.”

Davis said she is doing everything she can as a state representative to end these types of incidents. “We all know better, let’s do better,” Davis said.

House Concurrent Resolution 3022 entered the Senate on March 14. To follow the resolution, visit ndlegis.gov.

Isabelle Ballalatak is an intern at the North Dakota Newspaper Association.