Mom calls for consequences after rival high school athletes called daughter, teammates racial slurs

GLENELG, Md. — A Columbia mother says players used racial slurs against her daughter and Long Reach High School JV soccer teammates during a game at Glenelg High School, with no immediate consequences and she is calling for change.

Regina Dillon said she received a phone call from her daughter, who was shaken after the soccer game on Thursday, October 1. First reporting that football players at the school had barked at a teammate and called her a "good girl."

"During the game itself, Glenelg soccer players proceeded to call my daughter and her teammates a racial slur," Dillon explained.

She says her daughter told her the referee did tell players to stop, but the name-calling continued and the game went on. Coaches were informed by players after the match.

"It broke my heart because nobody should have to go through that," Dillon said.

So, she shared the story online saying in part "[n]o longer will we just allow these things to be swept under the rug" receiving both backlash and support.

One member of her daughter's team said she was grateful for Dillon's video.

"It made me tear up because I knew I was doing the right thing," Dillon said.

Dillon alerted the school board as well.

A graduate of Howard County's public school system herself, Dillon said she made sure to prepare her daughter for the reputation of the rival high school where the game would be played, and was disheartened to see her fears come true.

"It really hurt me. It really saddened me," Dillon said. "It's been going on since I was a kid, like, these are children, so they are being taught this."

In 2018, four students were charged for spray painting racial, antisemitic, and anti-LGBTQ slurs on school property.

"So many times we've always just said, this is just how Glenelg is, but how long are we just gonna sit back and let our children or anybody else's child be belittled just because they're a different race?" Dillon said.

The district confirms it is investigating but has no updates at this time. Because minors are involved, a district spokesperson says the results of the investigation may not legally be made public.

A Howard County Police spokesperson confirmed that they've received no reports related to the incident.

Dillon hopes the involved players will be suspended from games and wishes the district will make this a teachable moment for others.

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