What should have been a historic Friday night celebration at the newly debuted Ryan Field instead dissolved into painful allegations of bigotry, prompting emotional testimony from parents, students, and community members at a Monday night school board meeting.
Superintendents Launch Joint Investigation into Harassment Reports
Following the October 16 football game between Evanston Township High School and New Trier Township High School, superintendents from both districts announced a joint investigation into reports that members of the ETHS marching band and color guard were subjected to racist and homophobic harassment. Almost 27,000 tickets were sold for the annual rivalry matchup, marking the first significant community event at the newly rebuilt stadium. As screenshots and accounts circulated widely online over the weekend, Marcus Campbell of ETHS and Peter Tragos of New Trier issued a joint statement acknowledging that students had been confronted with offensive behavior. Friday evening should have been an opportunity to celebrate our students, spirited competition, and the longstanding traditions of our two school communities,
the administrators wrote, as reported by the Evanston RoundTable.
Student and Parent Accounts of the Harassment
The emotional gravity of the incident spilled into the New Trier Township High School District 203 board meeting on Monday night. Jennifer Sadler, mother of an ETHS color guard co-captain, told board members about the vitriol her daughter faced before the performance. As they were getting ready to perform and while they were sitting down, she was called n– and f–t. And, she was told to go kill herself,
Sadler said during public comment. Other students stepped forward with similar accounts. Kevin Watts, an ETHS color guard co-captain, told ABC7 Chicago that fans repeatedly screamed vulgarities before a male individual directed a homophobic slur at her. Dakota Tabor and Ifeoluwa Dada, both ETHS band members, detailed repeated use of racial slurs, trash thrown by spectators, and explicit threats. Another student, whose identity was withheld at her parent’s request, reported being spat upon after the game by an individual wearing New Trier gear who told her to go back to Africa.
New Trier Superintendent Apologizes for Student Harassment
Addressing the packed room of community members, New Trier Superintendent Dr. Peter Tragos offered a direct apology on behalf of the entire community. No student should ever attend an event for their high school and come away with feeling that their dignity is in question. And on behalf of the entire community, please accept my apology,
Tragos said. Local community members also expressed sharp disappointment, with speaker Amanda Nugent telling the board that a portion of the student body had squandered a public stage. Both school districts have urged anyone with firsthand information to contact administrators as the inquiry continues, pledging full accountability for any discriminatory conduct identified during the review.
