Pittsburg Unified School District Superintendent Janet Schulze issued a statement Tuesday morning at 1:00 am offering her thoughts regarding the incident between the Pittsburg High School Band and Deer Valley Football.
In the statement, she says the Pittsburg High band had no part in the miscommunications and that Deer Valley coaches who she says used poor judgement.
I support everything in the joint statement and our collaboration with Antioch as we continue the investigation. I do want to offer my additional individual assessment and clarification. I want to be clear that the PHS Band had no part in the miscommunications. They did a terrific performance, as usual! I commend the Band for their professionalism and talent.
It is my opinion that the DVHS coaches used poor judgment in running drills that went near and into the Band’s formation while the Band was playing. This created a situation that was potentially dangerous.
Janet Schulze
Last night, the following joint-statement was issued around 9:00 pm by both the Antioch Unified School District and Pittsburg Unified School Districts.
October 19
6:00 pm
As you are probably aware, an incident occurred prior to the Deer Valley/Pittsburg High Football game over the weekend that has received a lot of media (and social media) attention. We felt it was important for you to hear from both districts regarding the incident and what we plan to do as a result.
First of all, please know that, as educational and community leaders, school and student safety is our highest priority. This commitment stretches beyond the classroom walls and applies to sporting events, extra-curricular activities and community activities that involved our students and staff members. Thus, when we learn of an incident that may compromise the safety of students, we take it very seriously. Our districts and schools always embraced a collaborative and positive working relationship, whether its in the classroom, in the meeting room, or on the football field.
The incident involving football players and band members was regrettable and should not have occurred. We met today with the principals, athletic directors and other personnel to discuss the incident, collect more information and begin a joint investigation. At this point, we believe that a series of miscommunications occurred that resulted in both the Pittsburg High band and Deer Valley High football team being on the field at the same time. This created confusion on the part of the Pittsburg band members and Deer Valley football players.
We believe there was no intent on either side to disrespect the observance of our country’s National Anthem, both AUSD and PUSD have coaching and support staff who served proudly in the armed forces and who deeply value our flag and country.
The investigation will continue to determine where communication may have broken down and to address the various allegations brought forth as a result of Friday’s game. If we determine any of the allegations to be true, we will take swift and appropriate action.
We will never condone poor sportsmanship at any of our events or activities. We are saddened by the negative messages being portrayed about our students in social media. Both teams showed great sportsmanship during and after the game and no other incidents occurred. We encourage our communities to please not jump to conclusions and understand we are working cooperatively together, and will continue to work together to promote safe and positive experiences for our students.
Donald Gill, Superintendent AUSD
Janet Schulze, Superintendent PUSD
Below is a 9-minute video of the incident in question where football players and the band were on the field at the same time followed by the joint-District statement.
23 comments
Both of these superintendents decided to not do their jobs.
BS there was total disrespect by the Antioch Football Team Coaching Staff and Players.
*deer valley
Why do a joint statement only to a few hours later make your own clarification? Glad she has the guts to call out DV Football. AUSD and the league need to own this and suspend the team for a few games or the rest of the season. Coaches should all be fired.
We have all seen the video, Schulze is finally saying what we are all already thinking. Come on AUSD, your up next, how will you actually respond to facts that you are empowering our kids to be jackasses.
I agree.
Typical actions by AUSD. None! Again afraid of their own shadow. This district will be so much better off with Mr. Gill gone. DVHS principal needs to go also. This disrespect of others is what is completely wrong with our once great country.
Suspension for the rest of the year should be the punishment.
All the adults in this situation used poor judgement. The coaches should have gotten their players off the field when the band came on. The band shouldn’t have gotten on the field until the players were off the field and when the situation was occurring the band director should have STOPPED the performance and pulled the kids off the field. All the parties here were in the wrong.
There is a schedule to adhere to that all visiting teams are made aware of. The band was not in the wrong here.
Just because you have the right of way does not mean you will never get in an auto accident. Same principle here, the adults should never have started the show until the field was clear. Bad judgement from everyone involved.
Sean I disagree with you. Being an alumni from Pittsburg High school and the Band I must respectfully disagree with you. The announcer clearly stated that the band was going to begin their show to the entire stadium. The football team should have cleared the field or went into the end zone and finished their drills not ran out and disrupted the band who were doing what they love to do and getting the crowd ready for the game. The team was there to compete with the Pittsburg Pirates football team not the PHS marching show band. The video clip clearly shows that DVHS is the aggressive party. Watch it again please.
Looks like you did not read my post. Yes, the football team should have moved off though the band director shouldn’t have started the show until the football team was off. Both groups were in the wrong. Playing chicken with children is as reckless as it is foolish.
Sorry I dont agree with your last part of statement. The show must go on as I’m sure may seem cliche but true… they bleed orange and black and bottom line out is mainly the non sportsmanship lack of respect for the national anthem alone. Band or no band. had they already did what they were supposed to none of the rest would have happened.
After watching the video I am very impressed with the Pittsburg band.
They handled the entire incident with a professional “show must go on” attitude. Allowing the DV team to stop the band would have been a mistake.
…and they sounded great.
The band did Pittsburg proud!
I agree and went to Pitt once the band was announced dvhs should have left the field kids these days have no respect last year is seemed every week or more you heard about fights. Teachers have no options and kids take advantage. We live in a sad world. When I went to school we sang pledge of allegiance. Now it offends people’s religious beliefs. These kids need to be punished and learn respect for our future.
The joint statement was a joke. No mention of potential consequences. Good for Pitt parents to continue the pressure and not accept this cop out. Because of parents she had to clarify.
There was no schedule. Players were warming up after being denied access to the field for the CIF mandated 22 minutes of warm up period. Per CIF rules, bands, cheer, and drill teams must be off the contest space until the team vacates. Look it up. The video shows nothing. You all need a life.
So Michael, do you think the Deer Valley team and coaches acted admirably at the game? You could be proud of them?
It’s unfortunate that the PUSD superintendent did not have the fortitude to stand up for her students to begin with. I am so glad my children are not in a district lead by such a spineless woman. So much for leading our young ladies by example. Her lack of action on her students behalf showed them that it’s okay to be bullied.
Time for new leadership.
I agree. She showed a lack of professionalism.
Won’t affect her pay. Or the pay at her next job. This stuff doesn’t affect her next employment. Keep moving the salary up so she has a huge retirement pension in a few years.
If the Dear Valley team players were confused, then why did they push the band members?
They could have just conducted themselves accordingly and not harass our kids!
Should Dear Valley players be given the benefit of the doubt? There is no doubt that they acted inappropriately.
Of course they should they are kids BUT. THERE IS AN EXAMPLE TO BE MADE HERE STARTING WITH THE COACH. INSTEAD OF SELFIES WITH A COMPLAINT FORM IT NEEDS TO BE RESIGNATION FOR THE MERE FACT THAT YOU LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND I KNOW I WOULDN’T WANT MY CHILDREN FOLLOWING THAT EXAMPLE. ESPECIALLY WEN YOU DON’T EVEN MAN UP N SHOW KIDS HOW TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN…
As someone who has played ball on that field for an opposing school, I can say with relative certainty that this was exactly what the DVHS coaches told their players to do. If you watch the drills they are running, they are short route drills and could have been done from the 5 yard line, where we did ours from when playing there. This was a coach being childish, selfish, and immature. Nothing more. All rules aside, there was nothing preventing DVHS from running their drills out of the way of the band. Any of their players would probably agree in private. I hope this “coach” doesn’t have this job for much longer. It’s bad enough when kids are taught correctly and still manage to be disrespectful, but when they’re told to be disrespectful by someone they look up to, it’s flat-out unacceptable.
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