ROSEVILLE, Calif. — An Inderkum High School teenager's wrestling match is now a night he will never forget.
Racial slurs were directed towards him while he was on the mat and now he and his mother are demanding accountability.
Last Thursday, Mercedes Overby and her son Omarion, a junior at Inderkum High, were at Roseville High School for his varsity wrestling match. It was a tense competition with shouting and cheering on both sides.
"Everybody's chanting on our side from Inderkum like, O, O! Everybody's chanting on the Roseville side," Mercedes said.
But through the chanting and cheering, a group of students were seen on video making inappropriate noises, comments and racial slurs.
"I was just shocked and I was disgusted at the thought that that happened to me, and I didn't even know when that happened. I was informed the next day about the video and I just had no words," Omarion said. "If I heard those words in the match, I don't know what I would have done. I probably would have broke out in the rage, to be honest, hearing those disgusting words."
As his mother, Mercedes says it's painful to see her son being targeted.
"He plays football, varsity football, varsity wrestling. He has a 3.86 cumulative GPA and he's a gamer. Outside of those, he doesn't bother anybody. He doesn't do anything," Mercedes said.
A spokesperson for Roseville Joint Union High School District provided ABC10 with this statement from Roseville High School's Principal, Ashley Serin:
"Roseville High School administration is aware of videos circulating on social media containing racist comments and gestures made during a sporting event last Thursday evening at our high school.
While we don’t yet know all of the circumstances from the event, we want to be very clear: Racism and discrimination, in any form, will never be tolerated or accepted on our campus.
Our student body and staff includes community members from all backgrounds, races, and religions, which is one of many aspects that make our campus exceptional.
As we investigate what transpired that evening, we wish to express a sincere apology for any and all offensive comments. Our commitment is to educate ourselves, our students, and the community, emphasizing that racism has no place at our school, in our homes, at our workplace, or anywhere else. Simply put: We must do better, and we will.
During the investigation, we ask for your patience while we work in collaboration with parents, students, staff and community partners. If you have comments or concerns, I welcome your feedback."
"It's a very politically correct answer," said Mercedes.
She hopes the district will take a more aggressive approach with expulsion. Omarion, however, believes kindness will always win, even to those who hurt him.
"I would like to shake his hand actually. I want to learn why would he say those words and those gestures," he said. "I would just like to come together as a society as a generation and learn how we can fix each other and come together."
The Overbys will be holding a press conference in front of Roseville High School at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday to demand accountability.
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