The athletic director at St. Louis Park High School in Minnesota has notified New Prague High School that they will decline to play the school going forward due to alleged racist behavior.
"After much processing and conversation with our stakeholders and leaders, most importantly our students, I am informing you that I have made the decision that St. Louis Park High School will not compete directly with New Prague High School," St. Louis Park athletic director Andrew Ewald wrote.
Ewald continued in the letter that he made his decision following a racist experience directed at one of his school's boy's hockey players during a game against New Prague on Feb. 15.
He also cited "other incidents of racism involving New Prague High School athletics in the last month involving other conference schools" as reasoning for no longer competing with the school.
New Prague administrators have said that an outside firm is investigating a coach's claims that New Prague fans made "monkey noises" at members of the Robbinsdale Cooper girl's basketball players.
As for when the decision to not compete will end, Ewald wrote in his letter that it will last at least until the end of the 2022 spring season but is "open-ended after that."
New Prague's activities director shared with News Talk 830 WCCO that he had no comment on the situation.
"Please know that I do not take this decision lightly," Ewald wrote in his letter. "As I said when New Prague High School was applying to the Metro West Conference, 'I will not stand for your community and students to have teachable moments at the expense of our students.'"
He continued, "Therefore, I will not tolerate or allow our students to further experience any racism while participating in athletics against New Prague High School."
Related
