Girls basketball team banned from tournament for "I can't breathe" T-shirts

The girls and boys basketball teams from Mendocino High School, a predominately white and Hispanic community about 120 miles north of San Francisco, were banned from a tournament this week because they planned to wear warm-up t-shirts with the phrase “I can’t breathe.”

The fallout has made the area the latest center of debate over the death of Eric Garner, a black man from New York who died earlier this year when a police officer placed him in a chokehold. Garner, who was unarmed at the time, said "I can't breathe" several times before he died. On Dec. 3, a New York grand jury announced that it would not indict the police officer who wrestled Garner to the ground.

The NBA’s LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, and others have since warmed up for games wearing “I can’t breathe” t-shirts. The Georgetown University men's basketball team followed suit. The Mendocino teams have even done so at other games, including a Dec. 16 boys game at Fort Bragg High School and two previous tournaments. But when Fort Bragg, host of this week’s three-day Vern Piver Holiday Classic, heard they planned to wear the shirts again, they rescinded Mendocino’s invitation.

Principal Rebecca Walker explained in a written statement that the school respects the Mendocino teams "for paying attention to what is going on in the world around them" but that as a small school, Fort Bragg doesn’t have the capacity to handle the situation “should someone get upset and choose to act out.”

According to The Press Democrat, Walker added that players who couldn’t set aside “personal beliefs about a situation that occurred on the other side of our country” could not participate in the tournament.

The boys team acquiesced, with all but one boy on the team agreeing not to wear the shirts. The girls didn’t, though, and as of Monday morning were still banned.

The Press Democrat added that FBHS's decision could have more to do with a recent local tragedy than with the national debate.

The girls told the Press Democrat that they regret that people thought they were being critical of local law enforcement, and that this was never their intention. They were looking to raise awareness about racism.

They continued to spread their message with a peaceful rally outside of FBHS on Monday morning, joined by about 50 supporters. FBHS hired three private security guards to monitor the situation, but there were never any signs of trouble.

Their rally – or threats of litigation and public opposition – was enough to convince the Fort Bragg Unified School District to abandon the ban. It’s too late for the girls to participate in the tournament, but for team captain Naomi Baker, it still felt like a win.

“I’m just happy our voices were heard,” she said.

Now that the ban has been lifted, the Mendocino boys could wear the shirts – but their coach will not allow it.

“They cannot play in the game if they don’t wear their uniform,” boys varsity coach Jim Young told the Press Democrat. “I’m not banning anything. I’m requiring them to wear a uniform.”

He did not explain why he allowed them to wear the shirts on Dec. 16 but will not allow it this time. Regardless, at least one player plans to exercise his freedom of speech.

“I’m planning on wearing my shirt,” said Sean Symonds.