Selah sanctioned after ‘racial and sexually related comments’ yelled at Prosser athlete

Eric Rosane
·2 min read

Selah High School’s athletics program will face disciplinary sanctions after two of its students hurled “racial and sexually related” comments at a Prosser student-athlete during a Sept. 28 varsity volleyball game.

These actions follow an extensive investigation conducted by administrators from both Selah and Prosser high schools that substantiated the claims at the home game in Selah.

The sanctions were brought down by the Central Washington Athletic Conference and were upheld in an appeal to the Yakima Valley Interscholastic Activities Association District 5 by the Selah School District:

  • Prosser athletic teams will not travel to Selah for any indoor sports for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year. Contests between the two teams at Selah must be hosted at a mutually agreed upon neutral site.

  • Administrators must attend all Selah football and basketball games, and a building supervisor must be present at all volleyball, baseball, softball and soccer games.

  • For the fall and winter sports seasons, Selah’s student fans may not attend any regular season or post-season games at Prosser. Siblings may be allowed an exception with district approval.

  • A one-game ban on student fans took effect Oct. 10 at volley ball and soccer matches.

  • All conference school’s student sections will be seated on the same half of the court that their team plays on for the remainder of the school year.

  • For the rest of the school year, Selah athletics must provide CWAC with updates and detail actions that have been taken to complete their sportsmanship plan.

Selah Superintendent Kevin McKay said in a statement that the district, school board and high school were all accepting of the sanctions.

He finds them fair and hopes Prosser administrators do, too. He also called the students’ actions “appalling.”

“The district will remain steadfast in its efforts in guiding students and continue its focus on appropriate behavior, racial consciousness and the acceptance of all individuals,” he wrote.

Both Selah students were disciplined for their actions. The district has not provided details of how they were disciplined, though, citing student privacy rights.

“Both districts will not tolerate any student-athletes being treated in this manner,” Prosser School District administrators wrote in a statement shortly after the incident.

In 2021 Connell High School, in nearby Franklin County, was fined $1,000 and faced sanctions for racist comments directed at two Zillah High girls basketball players. Connell also took additional steps to impose penalties on students for the behavior.