A senior on the Soldotna High School hockey team was suspended from play over the weekend after posting racist comments on social media.
The player was a team captain but did not participate in games in Anchorage over the weekend.
Posts on his personal Twitter account, one dated Thursday and one dated Friday, quickly went viral around the state, in which he made denigrating remarks about Alaska Natives, the LGBTQ+ community and the former first family.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and Soldotna High School posted a statement on their Facebook pages Saturday saying the matter is being addressed and that the district, school and hockey program are “disappointed and troubled” by the posts.
It reads: “Today, more than ever, we each need to pause and think about what we tweet, post on social media, and say to one another. Hate-filled, racist and disparaging remarks run counter to the mission of the KPBSD, our schools and our athletic programs, and will not be tolerated.”
The post further states that conversations about the appropriate use of social media will continue with students and athletes.