KANSAS leaves Kansas out of 50th Anniversary Tour announcement
14 February 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT)– A week ago, 27 News reported that Highland Park boys varsity basketball team were set to play against Wyandotte High School when both varsity teams allegedly exchanged words, leading them to cancel the game.
Prior to this incident, in December 2022, Topeka High School was set to play against Valley Center High School when threats were allegedly exchanged on both sides of the bleachers, causing the Valley Center district to cancel their classes the following day. Both districts came together to release a joint statement about the investigation the following Wednesday, which stated in part:
Regardless of how the situation transpired on Saturday, the fact exists that people were hurt and are continuing 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 happening relatively close together, Topeka Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Tiffany Anderson praised Wyandotte’s administration on its response to the situation, as the game was cancelled and rescheduled for a new date.
“We take the stance that if we can’t guarantee 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 say, that might not be very sportsmanlike,” Anderson said. “But between administrators, we want to resolve that in the best possible way that keeps everybody safe.”
She said that if any administrators ever feel that a place is unsafe, they will leave and not play in that area.
On top of discussing the allegations involving high school basketball teams in the district, Anderson spoke about the Super Bowl of Learning, Career and Technical Education Month and Anderson’s Women in School Leadership nomination from the Superintendent Association.