A long-time baseball coach at a Texas high school has been placed on paid leave in the wake of allegations that his players racially taunted other players during a recent varsity baseball game, ABC13 reports.
Several players and parents alleged that during a game between Bellaire High School and Westbury High School's baseball teams on March 25, players for Bellaire made monkey noises and used racial slurs toward Westbury's pitcher, who is Black.
"They're in an uproar right now on what's going in Bellaire," Houston Independent School District trustee Myrna Guidry told ABC13. "When the children on the Westbury team went on to the field, the children who were on the Bellaire team were making extreme monkey noises and sounds, and animal sounds."
A video that was taken in the parking lot right after the game shows a man described as the father of the pitcher yelling at Bellaire coaching staff about the alleged slurs.
Bellaire parents tell ABC13 that while there may have been racial slurs from the players, Bellaire coach Nick Ozuna was not involved. In a statement, Ozuna's lawyers say he has "coached at Bellaire High School for 18 years and has more than demonstrated his love for all his players, opposing coaches and teams."
"Any allegation that he condoned or dismissed any racial slur is false. Any allegation that Coach Ozuna has any racial animus is false," the statement read.
Houston Independent School District Superintendent Millard House told ABC13 that an investigation is underway. "Wrong is wrong, and right is right, and we want to make sure all our children, and adults on campus are safe, and feel like we have an environment that is welcoming all individuals regardless of who they are and what they look like," House said.
HISD has also reopened an investigation into a baseball player who left Bellaire High School in January after Ozuna allegedly ridiculed his hair, but Ozuna's attorney said they have emails showing parents thanking Ozuna for reminding their sons to cut their hair.
Watch ABC13's report on the story below: