ENID, OK - A Ponca City parent posted a photo of a noose hanging in an Enid stadium locker room on Facebook on Wednesday, September 27. Ponca City football players had traveled to Enid for a football game and found the noose in their shower area. The photo quickly went viral even reaching national columnists but has since been pulled from several online accounts.
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Enid Buzz spoke with Amber Graham Fitzgerald, EPS Director of Human Resources & Communications, who told us the Enid Public School administration was aware of the photo and had been in contact with Ponca City schools over the incident. A public statement from Enid Public Schools and Ponca City Schools has been released.
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Enid Public Schools has reported that following Tuesday night’s middle school football games, Ponca City parents notified the district this morning that their players reported an inappropriate display in the visitor’s locker room at D. Bruce Selby stadium. Upon immediately checking the locker room, Enid school officials found a chair and a USB cord with a 2-inch noose hanging in the visitors’ locker room.
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Here's a statement from Kareem Sears, Head Boys Track Coach and Varisty/JV D End and D line coach at Enid High School, "I feel I have to speak on this issue being shared on social media. First off that is the visitors locker room, our kids were on the practice field when Ponca showed up...we were on the west end of the field. 2nd we were practicing, 3rd it looks staged, 4th Ponca has like two black kids on its team, we have a higher black populations of players on our team then Ponca does. 5th our middle schools only see the field on their home game days, they already come dressed, 6th It looks staged...our high school is more diverse then Ponca. We have White, black, mixed, Mexican, Asian, marshalles kids that attend our school and play sports...so how do we not know that it wasn’t a staged photo to make us look bad b cause Ponca is suppose to be our rival school. So if that’s what they saw when they first walked in...the entire varsity and staff were on the field practicing. So have a little more faith in our kids, stop fueling the fire..you don’t have to agree with me..I know my players and the ppl I work with, I’m not blind,I’m not a sell out...I know exactly what’s going on with our program. Don’t believe everything you see on Facebook."
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JOINT STATEMENT:
Enid Public Schools and Ponca City Public Schools have a close working relationship and are coordinating together, with their administration and athletic departments, to investigate and address this issue. Ponca City parents notified both districts of this concern Wednesday morning, following Tuesday night’s games. Upon immediately checking the locker room, Enid school officials found a chair and a USB cord with a 2-inch noose hanging in the visitors’ locker room. Neither school district condones this behavior, which is insensitive and unacceptable. The person responsible, when found, will be held accountable for his or her actions. Additionally, we will continue to educate our students about tolerance and respect for others, in all situations.
Shelley Arrott, Ponca City Public Schools Superintendent
Dr. Darrell Floyd, Enid Public Schools Superintendent
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This article has been updated.
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Enid is bigger than Ponca City.
They need to stop making excuses….hold them accountable. Staged by Ponca? Really? Who said it was even the middle school kids? Could have been high school age kids or someone else that had access. Absolutely terrible. Instead of pushing the blame investigate it and prosecute. This needs to stop.
This really is disrespectful to all races and I as 7th grade football player for Enid am scared for my fellow teammates and coaches. I hope enforces find who did this and take care of it for our safety