Families of Fort Myers High Baseball team allege racism and bias in heated school board meeting

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The families of the Fort Myers High School baseball team allege racism and bias in the team’s program and in the school district. They made their voices heard Tuesday evening at a meeting of the public school board.

Families are upset because they said the team walkout last week wasn’t even mentioned to the black kids on the team, and for months their kids were subjected to harmful behavior in the baseball program.

The parents confided in local advocates and the NAACP.

“After that day, he lost all respect for Fort Myers,” said Maddie Baron, a sister of one of the players.

It all started with an SMS.

The text, sent by assistant baseball coach Alex Carcioppolo to the Fort Myers high school baseball program group chat in February, read Happy Valentines Day, followed by a racial slur.

The incident was reported to the school and the Lee County School District. As a result, WINK News reported that Carcioppolo was removed from his role with the team less than 24 hours after the message was sent.

“The baseball team needs more diversity. There is a systemic practice of racism that has taken place in the district,” NAACP Representative James Muwakkil said.

That text message, according to an email the parents received from the school’s athletic director, sparked a Title VI investigation into the school’s baseball program. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects individuals from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.

Nearly two months after the investigation began, the team’s head coach, Kyle Burchfield, was removed from his position on Wednesday April 5. WINK News also broke the news after confirming with LCSD.

Frustrations with the baseball program over the past few months, which culminated in Burchfield’s withdrawal, led to a boiling point in the team’s most recent game, which came just hours after the withdrawal from Burchfield.

The majority of the baseball team walked off the field mid-game to protest the recent unrest.

The parents, with children who played on the same team, were at war with each other, getting into a shouting match off the pitch which had to be defused by law enforcement. Regardless of the others wanting to finish the game, the team had to forfeit.

WINK News reported that this incident has been reported to the FHSAA, which has yet to issue a decision on the case.

The parents then took their frustrations and concerns about outright racism to the Lee County School Board on Tuesday night.

Some parents believe there has been an overwhelming lack of leadership within the team, school and district. Others believe the head coach was removed too soon and without explanation. A parent told WINK News that she believes racism and deliberate bias led to the team’s derailment over the past few months.

No member of the black team was informed of the walkout. So they couldn’t participate, said Dee Tucker, a player’s parent. Only two black children were expected to be left behind. It’s 100% premeditated and malicious.

“It made me question the ethics and behavior of peers and adults exhibited by impressionable young men,” said Shane Riley, the parent of one of the team’s two black players.

It’s not about the game anymore. It’s not all about politics, said Madi Baron, a sister of the players. Baron’s brother, who is still on the team, wants to change schools because of what’s going on.

Some parents didn’t want to speak to WINK News on camera, fearing it would jeopardize the save the season.

It’s behavior he should have stopped, Jacqueline Perez said of the former head coach. It’s the adult. He is responsible, he must establish the culture, he must be the leader of this team.

Perez works closely with the families of Fort Myers High School baseball players. She spoke to WINK News amid the investigation into the baseball program.

He should have corrected it. He should never have used that language, Perez also said of Carcioppolo’s racial slur.

I was absolutely shocked to see this. He’s not the man I knew, former player Jacob Pottinger said of Carcioppolo.

WINK News contacted the school district who said that since this was an ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to comment at this time. The team’s game on Wednesday April 12 has been canceled in light of recent events.

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