Football team at Texas school burns black player in effigy, but district says it's not racial
Football players at a Van Zandt County high school are taking heat after burning a rival team in effigy, along with the jersey of a black player. Students at Van High School ignited the blaze at Thursday night's so-called Vandal Bonfire with a figure wearing the No. 8, Deadspin reported. That number is worn by a black running back from rival Brownsboro High.
Van Independent School District Superintendent Don Dunn later released a statement explaining that the bonfire is a longstanding tradition dating to the 1940s and that the chosen jersey is meant to signify the rival team's best player. "This is by no means a racial issue and never has been," Dunn said. "Van ISD would never promote, condone or allow this long-standing tradition to target an opposing team or player because of their race."
Dunn acknowledged that those unfamiliar with the tradition could misinterpret its intentions "due to the current charged social and political climate" and said that future bonfires would refrain from representing individual players.
"We sincerely regret if anyone was offended by this tradition that has always centered around good-natured school spirit between rival teams and are saddened that that the character of our upstanding school community has been called into question," he said.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2018/09/28/texas-high-school-faces-heat-burning-effigy-black-rival-football-player
