LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. — Three Lake Oswego High School students have been suspended in an investigation of racist tweets aimed at a member of the state championship football team who had recently transferred to the school.
The Oregonian reports the school’s principal has confirmed the suspensions, also reported Wednesday by Willamette Week.
The former player, Marqueese Royster, transferred to Lakeridge High School and the tweets occurred after that. He and his mother filed a police report last month.
A police report says a Twitter account posted a message directed to Royster’s account using a racial slur, and several former teammates reposted it.
Royster, who is black, said he had never heard racial epithets in school, and believed the anonymity of the Internet had allowed them to say things they would never say to him in person.
“I was shocked and surprised,” he said. “It was surreal.”
Lake Oswego Principal Bruce Plato declined to say whether the three would have expulsion hearings.
The police report said that Vice Principal Dave Lovelin was informed of the results, and “Mr. Lovelin said he reprimanded all of the students involved and involved some of their parents. He also brought in the athletic director and football coach, who reprimanded the students for their behavior.”
The incident comes three months after the football team won the state 6A championship by defeating Sheldon High School 47-14, going undefeated for the season.
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