Air Academy coach withheld team over racial safety fears

Internal emails obtained through the Colorado Open Records Act show that Air Academy High School head football coach Waymond Jackson refused to play Lutheran High School of Parker due to fears of racial abuse.

The district publicly announced on Oct. 9 that the homecoming game was forfeited because the team lacked enough coaches. The official statement did not mention racism. Players later told The Denver Post they supported the forfeit as a protest of conduct at a previous game.

The controversy began on Sept. 24 during a game between Lutheran and Sand Creek High School. Sand Creek cheerleaders and their coach reported that Lutheran students and community members made racist remarks and gestures. They described being called "Harriet Tubman," hearing slurs, and seeing belts whipped toward them. Jackson also cited reports from Rampart High School staff regarding slurs directed at their families during two other games.

Jackson wrote to a district official on Oct. 5 that his decision was not about football but about whether students were safe. As a Black man responsible for young people, he said he would not knowingly send students, managers, and families into a setting with potential racial abuse. He stated Air Academy would not play unless allegations were fully investigated with concrete steps to prevent a repeat.

The emails indicate a divide within Academy District 20. Jackson felt the district did not back his decision. He asked administrators to formally support the forfeit and share it with Lutheran and the Colorado High School Activities Association. Flag football coach Barry Clark told a parent on Oct. 5 that the district would not support the school if it declined to play. Assistant Superintendent Becky Harris told Principal Amy Ripperger to respect Jackson's decision but instructed him not to inform his staff or students.

Ripperger wrote on Oct. 7 that the school had zero coaches willing to coach on Friday night. The district issued a statement on Oct. 8 saying it worked with both schools to hold the game, limited visiting fans, and added security. It attributed the forfeit to individual decisions affecting coaching participation. District communications chief Mark Belcher noted that individual staff emails do not always reflect district positions.

The Colorado High School Activities Association found that Lutheran spectators and participants used discriminatory language across multiple football and basketball events. The state organization threatened suspension unless Lutheran completes a corrective action plan. Lutheran executive director Dan Gehrke said the school condemns racism and will meet all requirements. He noted the school offered a spectator plan and a coaches' meeting and regretted that students lost the chance to compete. Coronado High School also forfeited its game against Lutheran.

Lutheran plays Montrose on Friday, its first game since the controversy emerged. A Lutheran parent coalition has launched an online fundraiser for security and legal action involving CHSAA, media outlets, and individuals who accused the school community of racism. As of Thursday, the group had raised more than $53,000 toward a $500,000 goal.

Jackson told The Denver Post he is not allowed to speak with the media. The district maintained its official position that the forfeit resulted from a lack of available coaches.