News Summary
The historic ‘8 Mile War’ football rivalry between Gordo High School and Pickens County High School has been canceled due to a controversial social media post linked to Gordo’s cheer program. The post, which included images deemed offensive and racially insensitive, prompted significant community backlash. School administrators prioritized student safety and public relations over continuing with the game. Gordo’s principal accepted responsibility, while both schools aim to rebuild trust within the community moving forward.
Gordo, Alabama – The much-anticipated “8 Mile War”, a historic high school football rivalry between Pickens County High School and Gordo High School, has been canceled due to a controversial social media post associated with Gordo’s cheer program. The game was set for Friday, September 26, and would have marked the 101st meeting of this long-standing rivalry that dates back to 1924.
The incident unfolded following the posting of images related to a dress-up day at Gordo High School, which have since been removed. The post drew significant criticism and concern from the local community due to the content it featured, which involved students posing with monkey toys and bananas. Community members expressed that the post seemed to perpetuate harmful racial stereotypes.
Both school administrations responded promptly, addressing the community’s concerns. Gordo High School principal Jeff Campbell has accepted responsibility for the post, describing it as offensive and extending his sincere apologies. In conjunction, Pickens County High School principal Lee Richardson explained that the decision to cancel the game was made primarily to prioritize student safety and the overall well-being of students involved.
Superintendent of Pickens County Schools, Shawn McDaniel, provided further insight on the situation during a meeting. An investigation was conducted following the uproar, which ultimately concluded that there was no intent of racial discrimination or profiling in the post. However, McDaniel noted that the post significantly upset many members of the community and offered an apology on behalf of the Pickens County School District.
Despite the cancellation of the traditional rivalry game, both football teams will continue on their seasons with region games scheduled for the following Friday. Gordo’s team currently boasts a perfect record of 5-0 and is ranked No. 1 in the AHSAA Class 3A rankings. Conversely, Pickens County’s team has faced challenges this season with a 1-3 record and is unranked in Class 1-A. They recently recorded a victory against Brilliant with a score of 57-6.
As schools in both districts focus on moving forward, their administrations are committed to fostering open communication with the community to address concerns and rebuild trust. Families and parents, such as Adrian Lake, have underscored the importance of acknowledging the impact such social media content can have on students, particularly in terms of reinforcing negative racial perceptions.
The cancellation of the “8 Mile War” is a significant event in the local high school sports culture, especially given the history that spans nearly a century. Although the immediate excitement for this year’s game has dissipated, both schools are looking ahead to their upcoming matches, with Pickens County set to host Hubertsville and Gordo traveling to Oakman.
No comments were available from either team’s head coach concerning the cancellation of this week’s game, highlighting the ongoing sensitivity surrounding the incident and its aftermath.
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Additional Resources
- Tuscaloosa News: Pickens County Cancels 100-Year Rivalry with Gordo
- Wikipedia: High School Football in the United States
- Sports Illustrated: Facebook Post Ends 100-Year Rivalry
- Google Search: Pickens County High School Gordo High School rivalry
- WVUA 23: Pickens County Cancels Game Against Gordo
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Football
- AL.com: Game Canceled After Social Media Post
- Google News: Alabama High School Football Controversy
- WBRC: Pickens County Cancels Football Game
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