A U.S. representative from Oregon has stepped in to say the state needs to do more to stop racist incidents from happening at high school sporting events.
On Wednesday, Democrat Janelle Bynum, the U.S. representative for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, commented on a recent string of high school football games where student-athletes were alleged to have used racist slurs while playing against Barlow High School.
“Football is supposed to be about teamwork, healthy competition, and kids getting the chance to do something they love,” Bynum wrote in a statement. “A kid should be able to put on their jersey, take the field, and worry about the next play – not whether someone is going to attack them on their race, sex, religion, or any other distinguishing feature.”
The Oregonian/OregonLive has reported on two football games this month where Barlow mother Valerie Dixon alleges that her son, who is Black, was the target of racist slurs. The first time was during a game against Hood River Valley on Sept. 11. Then a week later, Dixon said that her son was called a slur during a game against North Salem.
Gresham-Barlow School District is working with Hood River County and Salem-Keizer school districts to investigate what took place during those games.
“A racial slur is not trash talk. It’s not a rivalry. It’s straight up racist,” Bynum wrote. “In the state legislature, I sponsored legislation to make sure incidents like this couldn’t just be swept under the rug. We can’t ask young people to speak up and then fail them when they do. We need to teach our kids that reporting incidents like these will be taken seriously, investigated, and appropriately addressed based on the findings.”
Bynum was one of three primary sponsors (along with now Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and former Rep. Barbara Smith Warner) of House Bill 3409 during Oregon’s 2019 legislative session. The bill implemented a formal complaint process regarding student, coach or spectator behavior at interscholastic events that could lead to sanctions for offenses. It also sought an annual survey for students and parents to understand and respond to potential violations.
Bynum said the Oregon School Activities Association needs to do more to stop racist incidents from repeatedly happening at high school events.
“The Oregon School Activities Association must step up and double down on eliminating these incidents,” she said. “I have no tolerance for our kids being harmed in competition by racial slurs. And I have no patience for mealy-mouthed adults who throw their hands up and say there’s nothing we can do. If OSAA does not act, the governor and legislature should consider taking up a stronger set of sanctions sooner, rather than later.”
House Bill 3409 was a response to an incident in 2019 where the Parkrose girls basketball team was subject to racist taunts from spectators during a game at St. Helens High School.
Since then there have been a number of incidents of discriminatory language and taunts used in Oregon. In 2021, the Gladstone football team alleged that La Grande football players used racist slurs during a playoff game. The investigation into Gladstone’s claim was inconclusive. That same year, the De La Salle North Catholic girls basketball team claimed that they were subject to racist slurs during a game at Clatskanie High School. Clatskanie High School was placed on probation by the OSAA following an investigation.
The Gladstone boys basketball team alleged in 2022 that they were the target of racism, including a woman displaying the Confederate flag, during a game at Molalla High School. Following an independent investigation, Molalla High School was placed on probation.
In 2023, Junction City football players claimed that a Marist Catholic player used a “racist epithet” during the game.
In 2024, the David Douglas football team alleged that a sub-varsity football player from Nelson High School said a racist slur and spectators were making offensive noises aimed at a David Douglas coach. The same coach alleged similar treatment during a game at Forest Grove High School.
Because such incidents often involve students, schools do not always have to publicly disclose disciplinary action when investigations are complete.
Most recently, the Central Catholic baseball team forfeited two games following an internal investigation in the spring of 2026 after a player repeatedly used a racist slur during multiple games.
The OSAA implemented its S.T.A.R. (safety, tolerance, acceptance, respect) initiative starting with the 2021-22 school year. The initiative requires all OSAA events start with a public address that makes it clear that threatening or ridiculing anyone in attendance based on their race, gender, age, color, national origin, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or religion is not allowed at any events. The S.T.A.R. website also contains the OSAA’s official complaint form for any discriminatory incidents at events.
“The OSAA shares Congresswoman Bynum’s belief that hate speech has no place in sport and society. Students, staff and fans should be able to participate in interscholastic activities without being subjected to racist, discriminatory or harassing conduct,” reads a statement from the OSAA provided to The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday. “That’s why the OSAA has implemented policies and procedures for contest officials to stop contests when discriminatory language is heard by, or reported to, a contest official.”
Per OSAA policy, any student-athlete who is found to have used discriminatory language will be suspended for multiple games and is required to take an online sportsmanship course. For a case like the two Barlow football games, school district administrators work together to figure out what happened and work with the OSAA to come to a resolution.
“We also acknowledge the policies are only meaningful when communities have confidence in the process. The OSAA remains committed to working with member schools and our Executive Board in strengthening our policies and procedures, and taking appropriate action based on findings to ensure Oregon students can participate in safe and respectful environments,” reads the statement from the OSAA.
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