A Temecula Valley High School water polo team attended a baseball game between swim meets and showed support by removing shirts and pulling down trousers to reveal swimwear with “B-E-A-R-S-!” written across their chests. The photo was posted on the baseball team’s social media accounts and later removed. Before removal, district board president Joseph Komrosky and board member Jen Wiersma commented on the photo with sexualized remarks, including references to Chippendales and OnlyFans. The comments drew significant backlash as inappropriate. A parent of a team member said the athletes and coaches enjoyed the support and that water polo players typically cheer on teams. She complained to school leadership and requested written and verbal apologies, and suggested formal resignation due to ongoing discomfort among families.
"Temecula Valley High School's water polo team attended a baseball game in between swim meets on 28 April, and showed their support for the team by pulling down their trousers and taking off their shirts to reveal their Speedos and the word 'B-E-A-R-S-!' written across their chests."
"Before it disappeared, however, Temecula Valley Unified School District Board President Joseph Komrosky and member Jen Wiersma commented on the photo. Komrosky said that the high school athletes were "one step closer to Chippendales", while Wiersma likened them to an "OnlyFans crew". Their comments received significant backlash for being inappropriate."
"Speaking to Press Enterprise on 9 May, a parent of one of the members of the water polo team, Sharon Sardina, said: "The fans loved it, the team loved it, the baseball coach loved it. Everybody loved the support and thought that was pretty cool because that's typically what water polo players do as far as cheering on their teams.""
"She went on to say she would not be "sweeping this under the rug" and has met with the school's superintendent, principal and compliance officer to complain. "I would love a written and verbal apology, not just to myself, but to the kids involved in our team," she said. "I honestly, I would love a formal resignation [of the board members].""
#school-board-conduct #high-school-sports #social-media-backlash #sexualized-comments #california-education
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