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Ohio high school principal apologizes for students' racist chants during basketball game

Listen to chants in videos below
Posted at 5:04 PM, Feb 06, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-07 09:30:00-05

CINCINNATI - Elder High School's principal issued a statement apologizing for racist chants from the student cheering section during last Friday's basketball game against St. Xavier in Cincinnati.

The videos above and below contain offensive language.

"GCL game are always very spirited," said Mina Jefferson, whose is was on the St. Xavier team. "We’re used to that, but at some point there were comments being made about some of the players ... If no one complained, I have to wonder what would have happened."

Read the full statement from Principal Kurt Ruffing here or below:

Ruffing said administrators addressed the "seriousness of Friday's incident" at a student assembly on Monday.

"This type of behavior is not condoned at Elder, nor is it indicative of the lessons taught or learned in the classrooms, hallways and our fields of play, and it will it be tolerated," Ruffing said.

He said Elder is committed to use the incident to engage students "to recognize the differences in ourselves and in others and why those differences should be celebrated and not disparaged.

"We promise to do better in order to reestablish your trust in us as we continue committing ourselves to preparing our students for life after high school," Ruffing said.