CATAWISSA, Pa. — The Southern Columbia Tigers took home their sixth straight state championship in football on Friday. But instead of celebrating, the team is engulfed in controversy.
Southern Columbia Superintendent James Becker was notified Friday night about a social media video and signs from last week's community pep rally.
The banners say "Whip Westinghouse" and "Southern State of Mind." The pictures from the rally were posted to the Southern Columbia Football/Cheer Booster Facebook page.
"The signs looking at it now absolutely were offensive to some people, and we have to be sensitive to that. There was no malicious intent," said Superintendent James Becker, Southern Columbia Area School District.
Becker says "Whip Westinghouse" is a play on words, while "Southern State of Mind" references an article written about the football team's success.
"We'll try to educate our kids better and educate our staff better to be more perceptive in the writings we're using and slogans," said Becker.
After Friday's game, one of the football players posted a video to social media using a song with a racial slur.
Becker says the video is part of a viral TikTok trend.
Other schools posted similar videos after winning state championships, including Belle Vernon from the Pittsburgh area.
"Not as an excuse; they're all wrong. It's all bad. And I'm not worried about what other schools are doing; I'm worried about us here at Southern Columbia," said Becker.
Becker says the students involved in making the TikTok video have been suspended from extracurricular activities for one year.
"We have high standards for all of us, our staff, our students, our community. And we want to let everyone know that this was wrong," explained Becker.
Southern Columbia's superintendent says the district is wrapping up its investigation.
He also spoke with the PIAA and has called the principal of Westinghouse High School.
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