New Prague Superintendent: District will ‘get better’ after alleged racist incidents

NEW PRAGUE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Less than a week after New Prague Area Schools came under fire for racist behavior after its fan section flashed a known hate symbol on the big screen of the MSHSL Boys Hockey State Tournament, the school’s superintendent is addressing concerns of racism.

New Prague superintendent Tim Dittberner tells FOX 9’s Paul Blume his district – about 95 percent white – is committed to addressing racism and other issues surrounding school culture, specifically as it relates to recent allegations on the court and the ice during the recently completed winter sport season.

"Whether it's poor sportsmanship and inappropriate behavior or some racist things going on, we've got to take ownership of those things and get better through this," Dittberner told FOX 9. ""It can’t just be me talking, it’s more than that – it’s got to be our students, staff and parents stepping up, coming together and not tolerating any type of racism or hate speech or anything like that."

On Monday the district released summary findings of an outside investigation it ordered after a girls basketball game with Robbinsdale Cooper High School.

Both Cooper players and their coaches insist they were subjected to racist taunts, including loud monkey noises, in the contest’s final moments last month. 

Dittberner says the review – conducted by a law firm that included interviews with some 20 individuals who were at the game – could not substantiate the allegations.

New Prague shared the finding findings from an investigation it did not make public, writing it does not does absolve the district of its "responsibility to create a culture that does not tolerate inappropriate behavior." 

However, the allegation that New Prague adult and student fans were making loud monkey noises directed at Robbinsdale could not be substantiated. While a repeated, low-pitched noise is audible for approximately 10 seconds on the video of the game, what that noise is could not be determined. The identity of the individual who made the noise could not be determined either.

The allegation that a New Prague fan yelled out "monkey" while a player was shooting a free throw was also not substantiated. According to the investigation, the word yelled out during the particular free throw was "Nike" – the name of the play called by the coach that the New Prague team was supposed to run following the free throw.

According to the district, on the night of the game, no one, including coaches, fans, and players from the opposing team and the game officials, reported hearing monkey noises to the district. The district only learned of the allegation through a social media post made after the game had ended.

New Prague Superintendent Dittberner previously laid out a three-step plan to address school culture so these incidents do not happen in the future, including a school climate task force to assess our district’s needs that will provide an inclusive environment for all students; professional development and resources to staff to implement best practices to eliminate harmful behavior; and work with student leaders to raise awareness about appropriate conduct, bullying, race and other issues.

As for Robbinsdale’s response. The district issued the following statement on Monday signed by the Superintendent and several other administrative leaders, "As we shared with the community Feb. 23, we believe our Cooper student-athletes and coaches. We believe the first-person statements they made about the incident, and we believe the team did experience racist taunts and jeers from the New Prague crowd. 

We shared with New Prague officials what happened during this game. We also refused to subject our student athletes and additional staff members to questioning by their investigators – a process that would have forced students and staff to relive their traumatic experience.

New Prague Area Schools has dismissed the experiences of our students and staff as visitors in their district. Robbinsdale Area Schools continue to stand with, support and believe our student athletes. We are proud of the way they handled themselves amidst this display of ignorance.

Regardless of the findings of New Prague’s investigation, Robbinsdale Area Schools, including Cooper High School, will not compete in any athletic events against New Prague for the foreseeable future."

Cooper’s assistant girls' basketball coach Dennis Williamson, who was on the bench during the incidents, insists he has never felt as much hate for his skin color as he did that night.

"I would say, shocked, saddened, frustrated and disbelief right now," he said. "I played college and high school basketball; I know the difference of being competitive in the stands – this was another level, especially when our team is the only black people in the gym."