DES MOINES – The student council at the West Des Moines High School has apologized for wearing USA clothing to a basketball game and offending the rival school.
Reportedly, West Des Moines Valley High School played North High School a basketball game this week. At the game, the Valley student section wore USA apparel and clothing – red, white and blue, instead of the team colors orange and black. They also waved American flags. According to WHOTV, the North basketball team is “filled with players who come from refugee families”.
Allegedly, there were some other chants of “deport them” and “USA, USA, USA”.
In the wake of the state tournament game (which was won by Valley and was reportedly a great ball game) and incident, some people were offended. This led to a response from the Valley student council:
The following statement was written by our student council leadership and hand delivered to North High School today.
To the Students and Staff of North High School:
It has been brought to our attention that the decision by the Valley High School student section to wear U.S.A. apparel at our game last night was offensive to members of your community and fan base. We are deeply sorry if we have offended anyone in any way. We have traditionally dressed in such a fashion for great games such as the one last night. Everyone here at Valley has immense respect not only for your team and players but for your community as a whole. Please know that our intent was in no way to offend or demean—just to support our own team in a way we have done before.
Congratulations on a wonderful season and we wish you nothing but the best of luck in the future.
Sincerely,
Valley High School Student Council Leadership
One Des Moines resident who attended the game wrote via social media “Funny how valley thought it was the patriotic colors that offended people an not the fact that the students wearing them where chanting ‘deport them'”.
Another person said “They continue to cover up the core issue and it will only perpetuate the hate.”
Yet another wrote “Shame on your student section for the behavior at the State Basketball game against North High School tonight. Waving an American flag shouting USA at the North team! Those North player /students athletes who are immigrants have more class then your immature rich kids will ever have.”
However, some didn’t feel that the Valley students did anything wrong.
One man said “We are almost smack dab in the middle of The United States of America……..STOP ALREADY!!!!!” while a woman said “Are you kidding me. This “apology” offends me!”
I spent 21 years in the service of this great country only to see it as wasted time when liberals dictate to our children and the adults back the dictators. I always thought all Americans had backbones when it came to right and wrong, I now see that was also a mistake with spineless Americans failing to stand up for their children. I pity you.
It’s scary how racism and bigotry now equate “patriotism” in the Republican mind. Nice headline there Matt, if this slanted right everyone would be screaming #fakenews! They apologized for the racist and bigoted comments they were yelling, not for the clothing. Diversity is what makes America great people.
Diversity is part of America, but don’t mistake that for what makes us great. That would be freedom.
Sad Sad day when you defend “harassment” of kids playing their hearts out for the High School they love. What in GODS name did they ever do to deserve treatment like that. PPPPlllease. WWJD?
Call the school and give them your regards.
1-515-633-4000
BFD if they don’t like it they can go back to what ever country they came from
Valley student section has always been like that, this isn’t new. I was called monkey lips because I wore a mouth guard when I played
I can’t decide which is the bigger issue — trying to limit patriotism or trying NOT to offend someone else ? Is it the school’s job to protect refugees from speech they find offensive ? I think not.
Well Nancy, at least you got the part correct about you not thinking.
why don’t you use your name ? Chicken-shit !@
Nancy, it’s easy to be offensive and degrade someone when they’re hiding behind a moniker. This site has several of them, and you called it right.
Even the “apology” was phony. Phony patriots, phony apology, all part of the dog whistles – except now everyone can hear them, you aren’t fooling anyone. What ever happened to sportsmanship? I’ll bet you all the corn dogs on the planet that the other team is more true-blooded, grateful American than these so-called patriots. Maybe this student council should actually GO to school – but I’ll bet those other kids would get much better grades, especially on American history.
How STUPID! I am embarrassed for your students, future students, citizens, all of you people. WHAT in the world is wrong with you?
As I meant to say,
I sure hope you get that I am embarrassed by YOU that expected and demanded an apology from the proud patriotic AMERICAN CITIZENS!!
Was the clothing made in the USA?
Most likely made in some barbaric country,unless it was Russell athletics.Many American flags are made in China.
Democrats will have to find another job now.
Remember when we used to practice SPORTSMANSHIP.
Just all very tiring to see WORDS offending so many and the discussions that follow. Sticks and Stones will break bones but WORDS will never hurt me……I wish that would make a comeback.
pussies
Liberal democrt men ? transgender? should be able to use the womens bathrooms as they have to squat to pizz.
To those who were there: was the core of the chanting “USA” or was it “deport them”?
it was send them back and go back where you came from
During the game it was “deport him” when North players were called for a foul against Valley players. It is a modern version of what Valley students used to say when I was a North student. Back then it was “Ni____ GO HOME” if you were African American, African, or Black and “NI____ LOVER” if you were anything else. Racism has been thrown at North students for decades. This was the first time our country’s colors were used to mask it.
Toward the end of the game it was ‘USA’ as well as at the end of the game. This wasn’t a patriotic display. at least not what I believe is patriotism. High schoolers chant USA because they mean it as ” U suck as_” in games and used as an insult.
The clothing is not nor ever was the issue. Unfortunately, the Valley students tried to hide their bigotry behind our flag. It is not the words specifically that are at issue. They are the manifestation of the students’ ignorance, isolation, and elitism which taints their view of our world and great country. It is generational as hate is learned by children rather than a natural state of being.
I am proud that Northsiders teach love and acceptance. Our family continues to grow with each immigrant family welcomed into our community. Traditionally, immigrant students and the children of immigrants join the school’s JROTC program and then enter military service. They are proud of America and the opportunities that our country affords us all. The athletes did not deserve the hatred and ignorance that was given to them by the Valley student section. High school basketball games should have be about sportsmanship, the players, and the game.
OBSCENE TO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING America . This school has every right to be patriotic and be proud to be American and in the United States of America. Too bad if these refugees feel offended. This is our country. They came here by their own choice and if they can’t assimilate and respect our traditions, values and our country, they should leave. Go back to theirr barbaric country.
It should offend the kids that apologized to have a bunch of anti-Americans telling them they should be ashamed to be patriotic and proud to be American.
What barbaric country did you come from?
Please move to another country if you don’t like this one Anonymous
I agree Mickey
Agreed. If they don’t like it here then go back where they came from.
Offended by WORDS
We live in a generation of emotionally weak people everything has to be watered down, because it’s offensive, including the truth.
It’s now so common hear people say I’m offended by that, as if that gives them certain rights. In no more than whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase.
I’m OFFENDED by that
Well so F$&@#+g what!!! GREAT QUOTE by Stephen Fry
Booba – smeller of chem trails and ladies bicycle seats.
BO BO – I have said it before – your in the deep state (dems) denial and a liar just like your heros obam and Hitlery . Go have another glass of kool aid and look for your safe space.
You don’t impress me with your childish and uninformed replies. By the way, tell your family they have my sympathies.
I am not ignorant because I voted for TRUMP and we won and You pieces of chit LOST – P.S. to the other moron – I served in the U.S. ARMY – and never looked for my safe space.
Run Forrest, RUN!!!!
Funny how a county that is mostly democrats.would be so insulting.Better watch out you rich white kids.
F*ck em! If they don’t like the Red, White , and Blue, they can get the hell out!! This is America. OUr rules, our laws, our flag and our colors.
Nothing wrong until they chanted “deport them”
Leave that attitude at home
On the other hand, grew up with Polish, Norwegian and Irish jokes, resentment of new groups is nothing new
Mabey North should have stood en mass and recited the Pledge of Allegiance or sang America the beautiful and shown their support for the country
I am an 80’year old North High alumni and my husband and I were in the middle of the North student section. You could clearly hear USA chants and the flag near the floor was huge. The North kids were so well behaved, so respectful and polite, we forgot we were sitting with a bunch of high school kids cheering their hearts out for their classmates. I was soooo impressed with the student body, parents and friends of North represented there. They did not deserve to be attacked in any way.
What attack are you referring to ? Chants of USA, USA ? If that’s what you meant, grow up ! There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying USA.
Nancy, you’re being rude and disrespectful to an 80 year old and telling them to grow up??? Sweetie, you are the one who needs to grow up.
FO, cupcake !
Well Nancy why exactly were they yelling “USA” when everyone in the room was in right here in the USA?
Patriotism?
No Nancy “Miss Tea-party” Holloway, they had an explicit message to the North high school students & if you can’t see that you are pathetic as well as blind.
But then you are a Tea party member, which is just about one step up from the KKK.
And you know a lot about the KKK, don’t you ?
The democratic party is EVIL !
NEVER NEVER APLOGIZE FOR BEING A LOYAL AMERICAN PATRIOT ! – Millions of our sons and fathers have died to make America what it is — these anti Americans have an evil mission to destroy America. Fight back quit being a whimp.
So what branch of the military did you serve in?
So, after your recent comments let me through it back at you, what branch of the service did you serve under?
Well John, I will assume that you meant “throw it back” and “serve in”, not “through it back” and “serve under”.
I can see why you are a Trump supporter.
To answer your question, I spent four years in the US Navy 69-73 and 14 months of it was in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.
But the fact that I am a democrat makes me “anti-american” in your eyes, huh John?
It makes you stupid, a liar, and a traitor.
^^ As opposed to you LVS who likes to proclaim himself a so called patriot but avoided military service because he was too scared.
Ya you’re a real hero & patriot LVS..NOT!
You were a pussy back then and you are just a loud mouth old pussy now.
You disparage a US Military combat veteran while you stayed home nice and safe.
How pathetic and yellow of you.
I would be really happy if Matt banned you from this site. You are a coward and a lunatic. You profess to be a patriotic American but you are not. Your ideas are all anti-American and your words betray your true colors – those of a true Russian. If you don’t like the way we get to live our lives, then move to Russia where you might fit in. There were no evil Americans in this article. There were some misguided ones, but many of them recognized this and apologized. That is what our fathers, grandfathers, and others fought for – freedom.
My father fought the Japanese on Okinawa. I doubt if he could be considered unamerican. He was very much pro union and voted democrat.
Speaking as a proud American and a Republican, you’re an embarrassment to both.
Should NOT have backed down from people who anti American – tell them to get fkd.
Did’nt know there were so many ANTI AMERICANS out there ? Hell the whole demoratic party is anti american — SAD ! Feel sorry for those people who are American Patriots and have to put up with this Anti American bull shit – time will come that the left regrets it – it will not be a nice time for Anti Americans.
You are one very stupid and ignorant son of a bitch.
There’s nothing wrong with being proud of America, but verbal assaults, if they did happen, are not needed.