TOPEKA (KSNT) — A week ago, 27 News reported that the Highland Park boys’ varsity basketball team was scheduled to play against Wyandotte High School when both teams exchanged words, leading them to cancel the game.
Prior to this incident, Topeka High School was scheduled to play Valley Center High School in December 2022 when threats were reportedly exchanged on both sides of the bleachers, forcing the Valley Center District to cancel classes the next day. Both districts met to issue a joint statement on the investigation the following Wednesday, which stated in part:
Regardless of how the situation unfolded on Saturday, the fact exists that people were and continue to be hurt by what they experienced at our school. We are sorry. As a learning institution, we will take this event and learn from it.
With these two incidents occurring relatively close together, Topeka Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Tiffany Anderson commended the Wyandotte administration for its response to the situation as the game was canceled and rescheduled for a new date. .
“We take the position that if we can’t ensure the safety of our students, we have to leave,” Anderson said.
Anderson went on to add that in those situations the game will be delayed or rescheduled. In this situation, the game was rescheduled.
“Sometimes, young people do things or say things that they shouldn’t be saying, that might not be very sporting,” Anderson said. “But between admins, we want to fix it in the best possible way that keeps everyone safe.”
He said if any administrators ever felt that a place was unsafe, they would leave and not play in that area.
In addition to discussing allegations involving high school basketball teams in the district, Anderson spoke about the Super Bowl of Learning, Career and Technical Education Month and the appointment of Anderson’s Women in School Leadership by the Superintendent Association.
