Opinion

Do what’s right

Commentary on the actions CCH took towards LH

Madelyn Omelina, Staff Writer|June 20, 2021

Cathedral Catholic High (CCH) athletes are facing reprecussion for posting inappropriate comments towards Lincoln High (LH).

As a student-athlete who plays multiple sports and represents Bonita Vista High (BVH), it is both saddening and disappointing to see how athletes at Cathedral Catholic High (CCH) behaved towards Lincoln High (LH).

In response to the students at CCH, specifically the football players, who spread classist and racist posts on social media in April directed towards their opponent at the time, LH, it is only right that CCH faces sanctions for its actions.

Playing a sport in high school is not about how much money the team has, the color of a person’s skin or the background they associate with. It is about talent, hard work and dedication. Sure, there will always be schools that get more funding or can afford better equipment, but that does not make a team or player better than another.

Both CCH and LH were given a chance to play a game that was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of showing sportsmanship, CCH players went out of their way to make inappropriate comments targeted at LH’s athletes by sporting a t-shirt on social media and CCH’s campus that read “Catholics vs. Convicts III” with a caption under it reading, “We run the City.”

CCH is a private highschool for boys whereas LH is a public school that does not receive as much funding as a private school would. This does not give the right for students to use their privilege to bring others down. The coaches, teachers, staff and parents of CCH should have prevented this behavior by instilling anti-racism teachings.

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The people who are involved with the sanctions need to fix their mistakes, if not for themselves, for their school and athletic program.

— Madelyn Omelina

BVH athletes should be proud of their school and continue to discipline themselves to be aware of their actions so instances similar to ones like CCH and LH’s do not occur. When someone looks at a BVH sports team, they can see a diverse yet united group of students that respects others. It does not take many conversations with either the athletes, the coaches, the athletic director, or even the parents to know that everyone is welcomed and accepted.

Students are not expected to be perfect, but are expected to work to change. Sanctions on CCH include the head coach being put on a two-game suspension, the team getting placed on a two years probation and CCH being ordered to implement a restorative education program, according to San Diego Union Tribune reporter Andrea Lopez-Villafaña in her article “Cathedral Catholic faces sanctions for racist photos aimed at Lincoln High athletes.” These methods are used by the community to help CCH change and are enforced to help the CCH athletes realize the meaning of playing a sport. Of course, there will always be competitions and an urge to prove themselves, but that should not cost civility.

Unfortunately, for the people at CCH who did not partake in the spread of classist and racist posts online, they are now associated with the same negativity. The people who are involved with the sanctions need to fix their mistakes, if not for themselves, for their school and athletic program who are now facing just as many consequences as those who participated in these actions.

All schools and athletic groups should take the time to change their ways and be better people, so the actions against the LH will not happen again. The background of the people playing the game doesn’t matter, only playing the game with sportsmanship does.