Arkansas college identifies fan who aimed racist noises at Kansas players

Officials at North Arkansas College have identified a fan who made racist noises toward players from Labette Community College when the teams played last week in Harrison.

“During the games, LCC players experienced a continuous distraction of what could have been interpreted as inappropriate, racially-toned noises during the games” on Jan. 10, said a statement released by Labette Community College on Wednesday. “LCC coaches and players believe the noises came from college-aged individuals and other spectators.”

An investigation into the noises has revealed an elderly man made crow sounds, North Arkansas College President Randy Esters said in a prepared statement.

Crow caws have been used to reference Jim Crow laws, which were used to enforce segregation in the South from the late 1800s until the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Fans at North Arkansas also made monkey noises directed at Labette players, often whenever Labette was on offense, the Parsons Sun reported.

Esters has communicated with Labette Community College President Mark Watkins, said Bethany Kendrick, public relations director for Labette. The fan who made the crow noises did not intend any “discriminatory ill will” toward the Labette players, Esters said.

The fan will no longer make those noises, Esters said.

Labette Community College issued a statement late last week in response to the fan behavior reported by the Sun.

“Teachers, parents, colleagues have taught me that diversity is a foundation to a strong people, no matter the peoples’ origin, or what they look like,” Watkins said. “An institution, such as a community college, is no different. We should appreciate people for who they are, not tolerate them for who we want them to be.”

Watkins said athletics “is much like the world.”

“The opposing team will try to distract us, to cause us to lose our focus,” he said. “Fortunately, coaches use their experiences to keep the team in focus.

“If the opposing team is successful, and our players are distracted, then we have a greater chance of losing. But, as long as we continue to focus on utilizing our strength through diversity, we will overcome distractions, such as discrimination.”

The teams meet again in Parsons on Wednesday night.

This story was originally published January 17, 2018 at 5:29 PM with the headline "Arkansas college identifies fan who aimed racist noises at Kansas players."