Manchester Hoop Star's 'Black Lives Matter' Shirt Request Vetoed

MANCHESTER, NJ — The Manchester Township Board of Education has rejected a request by girls basketball star Destiny Adams for permission to wear the statement "Black Lives Matter" on her warmup shirt before high school basketball games this season.

Adams, a senior who is one of the most decorated basketball players in the school district's history, spoke at Wednesday's school board meeting, emphasizing that to her, the sole issue is about bringing awareness to the lack of equality and the struggles of the Black community.

"To me, Black Lives Matter has nothing to do with the police," Adams said. "I have nothing against the police. It’s just that our lives cannot and will not matter until Black lives do."

Board President Ken Pate, speaking on behalf of the board, said the issue is that the basketball team and Adams represent the school when they set foot on the court.

"We as a Board of Education are elected to represent the whole school," Pate said. "And our uniforms have to be uniform, that’s the whole thing. So we’re going to ask that the uniforms have the school name and the student’s name if they choose, and nothing else."

The warmup shirts are paid for individually by the team members, not by the school district. Most seasons, the basketball gym would be packed with fans eager to see Adams and her Hawks teammates getting ready for their games. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, the gyms will be empty except for the teams, coaches and game officials, so fans will see what the players are wearing.

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, which oversees high school sports in the state, said schools are required to adhere to National Federation of High Schools uniform rules, which apply to the actual uniforms worn on the court during the game, an NJSIAA spokesman said. Pregame uniforms and activities are under the discretion of member schools.

The Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum during the summer, amid marches and demonstrations in the wake of the death of George Floyd, who died while a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. But the Black Lives Matter movement became controversial as riots broke out in some cities.

Players in the WNBA began wearing warmups emblazoned with Black Lives Matter for their pregame shootarounds, and that action spread to the NBA and other sports as well.

Patch reached out Thursday afternoon to Lisa Adams, Destiny's mother, who said her daughter was very disheartened by the response she received from the school board.

"She felt the board didn't really listen to what she was saying," Lisa Adams said. "They didn't suggest any alternative, they didn't have a discussion. It was clear they had already made a decision."

Lisa Adams said the warmup shirts are designed annually by the team's seniors. Destiny was inspired by the events of the summer and wanted to bring awareness. She saw a plain shirt with just the words Black Lives Matter on Amazon and shared it with her teammates, and a few bought them.

"We didn't realize she had sent it to the team," Lisa Adams said.

When the team's coaches learned about the shirt, they suggested that the saying be put on the sleeve for the players who wanted it, Lisa Adams said. A team meeting was held, and she said there seemed to be agreement, but she said the athletic director, Keith Lister, and Superintendent David Trethaway were notified. At that point, Destiny was told the school board would have to weigh in.

"This movement means so much to me personally as a Black woman in America," the 17-year-old told the board Wednesday. "As we all should know, the Black community is not treated equally in this country. From our country’s origin, the Black population has been silenced and pushed aside. I refuse to be silenced because I believe awareness should be brought to this movement."

Destiny Adams, who is headed to the University of North Carolina in the fall, has helped put Manchester girls basketball on the map. She was named to the first-team All-State in 2020 as a junior and to second-team All-State as a sophomore. The Hawks won the Shore Conference Tournament and the NJSIAA Group 2 title her sophomore year, and have won three straight NJSIAA South Jersey Group 2 titles, along with divisional crowns. Adams has 1,560 points in three years and hopes to break the school's scoring record this year.

She said her status in basketball circles makes her want to inspire younger children to know they can stand up for themselves.

"Plenty of little girls look up to me," she said. "If they see me on social media or in the gym with this saying on my back, it will teach them to stand up for what’s right and always let their voices be heard."

"Being able to wear this saying on my shirt will make me feel like I am starting to make the change I want to see in America," she said.

"Those words to Destiny are incredibly important as she believes, as we all should, that Black lives matter, and it is her desire to bring awareness to that plain fact," Lisa Adams told the school board Wednesday night. "She does not support anti-police beliefs, she does not promote violence, she does not support vandalism or looting."

"She is passionate about basketball, and she is passionate about this. She wants them to go hand in hand," Lisa Adams told the board.

Pate praised Destiny Adams for speaking to the board.

"It takes a lot of courage to do what you just did," Pate said. "When I was your age, I don’t know that I could have done that, I really don’t."

"I really and truly believe it when you say you don’t mean it to be divisive, and that you truly believe in your passion," he said. "Change has to come. And our country is starting toward that. But this is a school function, it represents the whole school. When you come out on the court, you're representing the whole school, and we feel it needs to have the school name and the student's name only at this point."

"That’s what we’ve discussed, that’s what we feel it should be," he said. "Destiny, please do not give up your passion. Please do not, that is not our intent whatsoever."

On Thursday, Lisa Adams said Destiny was upset by the feeling that the school does not support her in what she feels is so important and is not sure what she might do.

"Basketball is her pulpit," Lisa Adams said. "She has fans. She has followers, She is an influencer. She is an example. She wants to educate. She wants individuals to hear her supporting this movement."

This article has been updated with information on the NJSIAA's uniform rules.

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This article originally appeared on the Manchester Patch