Like many of you, over the weekend I saw the viral video of the Center Grove High School student mocking the Cathedral High School student and basketball player. I was appalled. The race of the basketball player was initially unknown to me. It didn’t matter. The behavior was intolerable. Then I learned the basketball player is Black. The Center Grove student is white. I lead with that because I want to make clear my feelings weren’t embedded in race. I’m not making this a “racial thing” as white people on social media are quick to say.
For now, let’s focus on the idea that one student thought it was a good idea to fall on the floor and pretend to have a seizure as a way to distract a player during his free throw attempts. It’s pretty common for fans to try to throw off a player’s concentration during free throws by making noises, spinning objects in the air and even trying to will the ball away from the basket. I’ve never seen anything like the behavior displayed at Center Grove.
However, I’ve learned that this isn’t new. It’s a “fish out of water” routine and part of Center Grove’s “curtain of distraction” plan implemented a while ago. Their point is this wasn’t done to purposely mock a student with a medical condition. It’s part of the basketball culture at Center Grove, and it just so happened that on this particular occasion the person being distracted took it personally because he has seizures and once had one during a basketball game. I’m not buying it, but OK.
I’m not buying it because the basketball player heard students chanting “have another seizure, have another seizure.” It’s not a coincidence that students chanted this and another student rolled around, flopping on the floor.
Center Grove said it would investigate and has since apologized and sent parents a letter. IHSAA on Dec. 1 tweeted how this can be used as a “learning experience.” I’m sure the student has learned much since this incident, but what?
His parents contend it’s all just a misunderstanding and it’s time to move on. Basically, the Cathedral basketball player should just shut up and dribble and be happy he can play basketball at such a high level given his medical condition. The father of the Center Grove student also said the Cathedral student’s family is using this incident for their 15 minutes of fame. Way to blame the victim here, sir. As if this child asked to be mocked, for it to be recorded and watched all over the country. Who wants fame from this?
And therein lies the rub. This is where I’m about to get all racial. The basketball player’s race probably wasn’t a factor in the Center Grove student’s decision to behave the way he did. But, it seems white people are forever telling Black people to move on but don’t exactly follow that advice when the shoe is on the other foot. We still have statues honoring Confederate soldiers in parts of this country. Definitely not moving on.
In addition, white children are allowed to make stupid mistakes that Black children can’t. Black children are viewed as older than their white peers, and the punishment Black children receive is often harsher. But I digress.
It doesn’t matter what the student’s intent was. He did something appalling and disrespectful. He should own it — not make excuses — and apologize. With that said, the Cathedral player doesn’t have to accept the other student’s apology. There’s no law that says you have to accept apologies when offered. The teachable lesson here is taking accountability and responsibility for one’s actions and accepting the consequences. We all know kids do stupid things. The rational part of their brain isn’t fully developed until age 25, so it’s up to adults to help develop good decision making and responsibility. And making excuses for intolerable behavior — whether by accident or on purpose — isn’t helping.
You know what else isn’t helping? Making threats to this child. He messed up. Who among us hasn’t? I purposely kept the names of both students out of this column because both are dealing with an inordinate amount of attention. I can’t imagine being a high school teen being ridiculed for a medical condition, having the incident recorded and now viral for the whole world to see. I can’t imagine being a teen doing a stupid teen thing, it’s now viral for the whole world to see and everyone is passing judgment on me.
My hope is that the Center Grove student grows from this situation and becomes a better person. I hope the Cathedral student heals from the hurt and embarrassment of this situation and continues to excel.
