SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — The county's Human Relations Commission unanimously passed a motion Monday night at a special meeting held in response to outrage over tortillas being flung at a largely Latino team after it lost a championship basketball game at Coronado High School. The motion includes a list of six items they plan to take action on.
In a statement prior to the meeting, the commission said it "is concerned and seriously disturbed following reports of recent hate incidents associated with the recent athletic event between Orange Glen High School and Coronado High School this past Saturday... and the related characterizations."
"The HRC stands in solidarity with our community against bias, bigotry and racism, and will continue to monitor the next steps taken by the Coronado District and the CIF office in the best interest of our county youth and our community," the commission statement reads.
The items included in Monday's motion are:
1. Write and send letters to CIF, other school governing bodies, and appropriate school districts asking what is mandated in training, accountability, and what actions are taken when rules are broken.
2. Take a look at bolstering existing community programming.
3. Expand on existing youth advisory board.
4. Allocate financial resources.
5. Develop county human relations programming for youth.
6. Explore new, additional resources.
"Our job today is an opportunity to focus on how this commission can work to provide support and take action to keep these incidents from continuing to occur," said the HRC chair Ellen Nash.
On June 19, after Orange Glen's predominantly Latino team lost, 60-57, to largely white Coronado High in overtime, some members of the crowd threw tortillas at Orange Glen athletes.
Coronado Unified School District Superintendent Karl Mueller said that after reviewing audio and video accounts of the incident, no evidence has turned up requiring the school to forfeit the game.
In a three-page letter sent to California Interscholastic Federation executive director Ron Nocetti on Friday, Mueller responded to calls by community activists and others for Coronado to forfeit the game.
"In the first-person accounts, audio and video that we have reviewed to date, we have seen no evidence of antagonization by the players actions or behaviors that justify forfeiting the game," Mueller wrote. "The young men on the court played hard, fairly, and earned the championship win."
On Wednesday, News 8 reported that a Coronado alumus, Luke Serna, said he brought the tortillas to the game and denied that the act had a racist component. He said he was evoking a tradition at UC Santa Barbara, which he also attended.
"The tossing of tortillas is used as a celebratory action by the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at various sporting events including basketball and soccer," Serna said.
The incident received national attention, with investigations being conducted and public meetings held by school district boards in San Diego County.
Mueller's letter said the district's investigation turned up evidence of regrettable behavior by both sides.
"Numerous statements reference the actions of people representing both schools as contributing somewhat of a 'powder keg' atmosphere," Mueller wrote. "There are allegations of inappropriate language from CHS and (Orange Glen High School) fans, coaches and players which vary in who 'started it' or was 'worse' in these interactions."
On Saturday, dozens of Orange Glen supporters marched along Orange Avenue in Coronado, some carrying a large Mexican flag. They decried what they saw as a racist act and called for the team to forfeit the game.
A San Diego lawmaker on Thursday called on the CIF to revoke Coronado High's regional basketball championship in response to the incident.
"This intentional act was designed to be racist and should not now, nor ever, be tolerated," Sen. Ben Hueso, D-Chula Vista, wrote in a letter to the sports federation's executive director and the leaders of its San Diego chapter. "Failure to impose swift and appropriate justice will become a tacit endorsement of the act itself by the CIF and violate CIF's own principles of ethical character-building for student athletes."
The CIF on Thursday released its second statement regarding the incident, saying it was awaiting results of investigations by organizations that were involved.
"Upon receipt and review of the schools' and/or school districts' information, and further inquiry from this office if needed, the CIF will then determine what action is appropriate," the CIF statement reads. "The CIF is in the process of concluding our review, and unless circumstances dictate otherwise, we anticipate issuing the ruling of the CIF executive director during the upcoming week."
The Escondido Union High School District board, at a special meeting Thursday, passed a resolution denouncing racism and racial discrimination, and affirming its support for equity, safety and well-being of all students.
The 27-member Human Relations Commission is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. via Zoom. More information on the meeting can be found here.
WATCH: Community outraged after Coronado High students throw tortillas at Orange Glen athletes after basket (June 2021)