Two Oregon school districts are conducting a joint investigation into a football game where it’s alleged that a player repeatedly used racist language.
Hood River County and Gresham-Barlow school districts are looking into the Sept. 11 game between Hood River Valley and Sam Barlow high schools, said Steph Hoppe, communications director for Hood River County.
A Hood River Valley player allegedly used a racist slur twice just before halftime, according to Valerie Dixon, whose son plays for Barlow. After both instances, the referees stopped play and spoke to coaches, following protocol by the Oregon School Activities Association.
At halftime, Dixon said she got a text from her son saying that he was called a racist slur. She said her son, who is Black, was one of two Barlow players to be called a racist slur during the game.
“The refs lost control of that game the moment the SECOND report was made and no action was taken,” Dixon told The Oregonian/OregonLive in an email.
After the Sept. 11 game, Dixon said sent emails to Hood River Valley High School and the school district requesting a formal investigation and also filed a complaint with the OSAA.
“My son has the right to step onto the field at ANY school and be treated with dignity and respect,” Dixon told the newsroom. “He should NOT be targeted for the color of his skin and be subjected to unchecked hate speech.”
Hoppe told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Hood River officials “are aware of reports regarding alleged discriminatory or harassing behavior during our varsity football game.”
“Hood River County School District takes all reports of discriminatory language and behavior very seriously,” Hoppe wrote. “Because this involves an active administrative investigation into student matters, we cannot comment further at this time.”
Barlow won the contest 28-21.
“GBSD and Sam Barlow High School are working to support our student-athletes and families,” said Athena Vadnais, Gresham-Barlow School District communications and community relations director.
The OSAA first asks school districts to work together to look into incidents that take place at events. OSAA policy asks the two sides to determine what occurred and cooperate to determine a punishment.
If the two sides cannot come to an agreement, the OSAA may step in and hire a third-party investigator to make a determination, the association’s policy states.
If a school is found to be “negligent in the duties of reasonably protecting those involved in interscholastic activities from derogatory or inappropriate names, insults, verbal assaults, profanity, ridicule or engaging in behavior deemed by the member school to endanger the safety or well-being of students, employees, self or others” then the OSAA will issue sanctions to the school, athletic director or coach.
The incident at Hood River marks the first known allegations of racist language at a varsity game this school year. Last spring, the Central Catholic baseball team was forced to forfeit two games after a player repeatedly used a racist slur during a pregame huddle.
©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit oregonlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
