Skaneateles (WSYR-TV) – The mother of a Skaneateles student-athlete who played football, but was cut from the varsity basketball team, says the coach discriminated against him based on race.
The mother of Khiary Gayle, one of three black students who were investigated in the midst of recruiting accusations leveled at the football program, has filed complaints with the federal Office of Civil Rights and the state Division of Human Rights.
According to the documents, which were filed by Priscilla Gayle on behalf of her son, Kihary was one of 13 players who tried out for the basketball team. He was the only black player and he was the only player who was cut from the team.
In the federal complaint document, Khiary Gayle says that Skaneateles basketball coach Karl Norris told him, “You’re already a senior and you didn’t grow up here, this team is about home-grown players.”
The student-athlete’s mother, Priscilla Gayle, spoke strong against the coach’s alleged comment to her son.
"A coach can't tell a child we only take home grown, because what it says to this kid is because I'm so different, I can't be a part of your team, because I'm black,” said Priscilla Gayle. “This coach wasn't going to put him on the team because he's black…because he didn't want any black players on his team."
According to Khiary Gayle, who enrolled at Skaneateles High School in March 2011, he was one of four football players who moved to the district during the 2010-11 school year. Three of the black players were investigated, while the fourth, a white player, was not investigated.
Gayle said the investigation was racially motivated.
“I felt that the investigation had to do with me being black,” he said in the document.
Gayle had extensive experience playing basketball in both scholastic and youth programs, including playing junior-varsity basketball at Bishop Ludden Junior/Senior High School.
The Superintendent of Schools in Skaneateles did not know about the complaints until informed by NewsChannel 9. He said he would not have a comment until he had a chance to review the complaints. We will update this story as soon as the district’s comments are made available.
