The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr once said, “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right.” As we remember his legacy this week, we are reminded that the dream that Dr. King envisioned, a dream where “children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” is still being revealed. Hate, bigotry, racism, and sexism still exists, and the events of last year shined a light on the darkness that permeates in this country and around the world. The killing of George Floyd (an unarmed black man) by a white police officer sparked outrage and protests across the United States and the globe. These protests transcended race, gender, and even age, in hopes of bringing attention and awareness to a systemic problem that plagues our society.
Some of the most notable protests came from the professionals sports arenas. The NBA, WNBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, MLS and other professional sports leagues used their platforms for activism as well as athletic entertainment. Individual stars such as two-time World Surf League champion Tyler Wright, tennis star Naomi Osaka, soccer star Chelsea’s Pernille Harder, NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, beach volleyball star April Ross, and others used individual campaigns to bring about awareness of social change.
Even college football got into the act as many teams including national champions Alabama marched for social justice. Yet these displays of social activism were not simply limited to the professional and collegiate ranks, they also extended to prep sports at the high school level as well.
All across the country, several high school sports teams used their platforms for purpose, kneeling during the national anthem for social change. One of the first players documented doing so was Rodney Axson of Brunswick High School in Cleveland OH.
One of the first high school football teams to kneel during the anthem was Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, New Jersey. In 2016, several high school teams took knees following the lead of then San Francisco 49ers star quarterback Colin Kaepernick as a call to action for injustices in the country. Players and teams in Northeast Florida took stances that year as well, like those from Lee High School here in Jacksonville.
Five years later in 2021, prep sports athletes are continuing the fight against injustice. Locally, several teams and players have taken up causes for social justice, even in the wake of negative reactions. This past year, Bartram Trail’s football team encountered caustic criticism from some when members of their football team kneeled during the national anthem in protest of social injustice.
Bartram Trail’s head coach Darrell Sutherland also received vitriol from persons who were against the idea of his team’s protest. It is a reminder that even in today’s climate, some individuals and even institutions are still opposed to allowing freedoms of expression in the manner to which athletes and coaches choose to do so.
However, it is important for adults to realize this simple fact, that high school students see what is going on around them. They see it on television, and on their social media platforms. They go to school in diverse settings and engage in athletics in diverse environments. They are convicted by their own consciences to act in the spirit of Dr. King’s message. These expressions of protest resonate as voices for those who ordinarily would not have one. And with any voice, it should not be silenced or muzzled, but encouraged and projected.
So today, as many use quotes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr remembering him as a non violent advocate for peace, also remember that he protested against the injustices done in the world. That along with having a dream, he also had a voice. One that he used to project his message of equality, so that other voices could be lifted and heard for years to come.
Opinion by Lead Writer André’ Ellis
