A row of school buses parked in a lot.
Bob Brawdy
Tri-City Herald
A 16-year-old student is no longer enrolled at Birdville High School after he posted an offensive video of a varsity basketball player from another school district on social media.
The video, which was posted around the time of Friday’s playoff basketball game between Birdville and Burleson Centennial showed the face of a varsity player on one of the characters from “Roots,” the 1970s television series that details the life of a slave and his family, according to WFAA.
The video was posted on a site called Barstool which is not affiliated with the Birdville school district. Students quickly removed the post, and the Barstool account was also taken down, according to the school district.
The district said in an emailed statement that the 16-year-old student was attending Birdville High School on an open enrollment application, which was revoked, and the student is no longer attending the school.
The statement went on to say that the school district will continue to cooperate with authorities and to pursue all disciplinary actions both at school and “in accordance with applicable state law.”
The Burleson school district also sent an emailed statement to the Star-Telegram.
“Saturday morning, Burleson ISD administration was made aware of a racially insensitive video about one of our student athletes. The content of this video was offensive and Burleson ISD strongly condemns it. We made Birdville ISD aware of it immediately. Birdville ISD administrators share the same level of concern and condemnation. Birdville ISD investigated, had the video removed and dealt with the student responsible.”
The statement went on to say that the district is proud of how the Centennial basketball player handled the situation with “grace and class.”
Burleson also provided the Star-Telegram with a copy of a letter from Birdville Superintendent Gayle Stinson to Burleson Superintendent Bret Jimerson.
Birdville requested that the letter be shared with the basketball team and Burleson school administration.
Stinson wrote that on Monday, during the first hour of investigating, administrators identified the 16-year-old student who posted the video, and that individual is now being addressed with local authorities, the letter stated.
The letter said Stinson reached out to Jimmerson “to offer the highest level of assurances that the district is acting swiftly.”
Birdville High School principal Tim Drysdale also contacted Centennial principal Dena Schimming to offer assurances that the district is taking the matter seriously, according to the letter.
Drysdale also contacted the Tarrant County NAACP to report the matter and request guidance, Stinson wrote.
“While our two districts may have competed against each other last week, we are united in our goals to support, nurture and encourage every student, regardless of what school they attend. Together, we will continue to uphold the standards that define both of our communities,” Stinson said in her letter.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
With my guide dog Freddie, I keep tabs on growth, economic development and other issues in Northeast Tarrant cities and other communities near Fort Worth. I’ve been a reporter at the Star-Telegram for 34 years.