POWAY, Calif. — Blackout games are part of spirit days at Poway High School, and they are supposed to be fun, but a recent Poway High School graduate said last Friday's game took a racist turn.
During blackout games, participating students all wear the same color. Friday's chosen color was black.
The former Poway High School graduate, who asked to remain anonymous, said pictures were posted all over social media of students wearing an Obama mask and a gorilla mask.
“I just don’t understand how a student in the student section was able to wear this mask. That image came from my school and is very disappointing,” said the recent graduate.
The blackout games usually help instill school pride and fun spirit wear.
“I guess for the blackout games, students had a different idea. They decided that it would be funny. If we had a white out game nobody would ever wear a mask of light of Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. I just think it was super inappropriate to wear that to a high school football game,” said the former student.
The former Poway High School student wants current Titans to realize that black masks are not ok.
“I am still proud to be a Titan. I am just ashamed that this happened,” said the former student.
“They are documenting it and posting it, which proves that they are not scared. They know that nothing is going to happen to them. That is why, well, they want to share it with everybody when really, it is not funny. It is insensitive and it is cruel. Two cultures to other races,” said the former student.
In response, the school said it will no longer have blackout game days. There is an ongoing investigation. The student involved has been disciplined.
A statement from Poway Unified School District reads:
“We want to assure you that Poway High School and the Poway Unified School District do not support such behavior. The school has worked very hard to become a “No Place for Hate.” The Principal has taken swift action, investigating the incident and the student involved was disciplined. In addition, there will no longer be any more “Blackout” games at PHS."