Paideia Soccer game makes AJC Front Page

Atlanta parents say trip to state soccer finals marred by racial slurs

Members of the Paideia School boys' soccer team stand before a recent match. School officials and parents say some of the players were called a racial slur by their opponents during a state semifinal matchup. Paideia boys’ team defeats a Rome high school in semifinal match but joy is muted
On the eve of playing for a state championship, an Atlanta private school is preparing to file a complaint with the Georgia High School Association over how its soccer players were treated last weekend in a state semifinal match against a high school out of Rome.

On Friday, the Paideia School blew out Armuchee High School 5-0 to advance to Tuesday night’s match, but parents, players and school administrators say the win came amid a barrage of racial slurs from players on the other team. “It is unbelievable and heartbreaking that your child has to experience this, during one of the most important times of their career, and for it to be tainted by abject racism,” said Tia Alvarez-Stith, whose son is a sophomore on the team. “None of us were prepared for that. It is horrible to have your child be demoralized when they are supposed to be celebrating.”

Alvarez-Stith and other parents said their sons, aside from the rough play, were called the n-word several times. Complaints were met with yellow cards and one of Paideia’s top players was hit with a red card, making him ineligible to play in Tuesday’s final, according to parents.

Calls to Armuchee High School were not returned, but a letter from its principal to one parent indicated the school is investigating. In a letter to the Paideia community, Athletic Director Mike Emery said the team “did their best to navigate a high-stakes game against players using hostile tactics.”  “Our boys’ team was subjected to racial taunts by players on the opposing team resulting in heated emotional and physical behavior on the field,” Emery wrote. “Paideia players, parents, and coaches left the game upset and disappointed, which added to the heavy emotions we have been feeling all week.”  In his letter, Emery said he had contacted the Georgia High School Association to report the incidents. The school said in a statement Monday to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that it is “working through the proper channels to register our complaints with the Georgia High School Association.”

“The Paideia School is focusing on our students and athletes right now,” Paul Bianchi, Paideia’s Head of School, said in the statement.  Efforts to contact the association before it closed Monday were unsuccessful.  Sule Carpenter, whose son is on the Paideia team, sent a letter to Armuchee High School and the chairman of the Floyd County School Board. Armuchee is in the Floyd school district. 
“I am extremely disappointed that, in 2023, my son had to experience this level of racism and bigotry. He deserves better,” Carpenter wrote, adding that his son scored the team’s third goal. “He left the field feeling defeated. Instead of celebrating his victory during the car ride home, we had to have a long discussion about racism. The behavior of your players reflects poorly on your school, its administration, staff, students and their families.”

Armuchee Principal Joseph Pethel wrote back in a letter obtained by the AJC.

“I want to start by apologizing for the need of your difficult conversation in place of the excitement of winning and advancing to the state championship game,” Pethel wrote. “We take these issues seriously and will continue to investigate and make sure that appropriate actions are taken for all involved. We wish Paideia School the best as you all move forward in the state tournament.”

Paideia will play the Atlanta International School for the 1A Division 1 Boys Soccer state championship at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Macon.

“It is really disheartening and disappointing,” said parent Natalie Carpenter. “My kid just wants to play soccer and be a teen. (Racism) should be the last thing on your mind when you are playing soccer. I don’t know how to explain that.”

And the fact that some people think it's "made up" just goes to show why racism will always be a problem.

Why in the world would anyone want to make this stuff up?!

I hope they suspend the perpetrators from all sports for the rest of their high school career.