Atholton High School and Glenelg High School in Howard County, Maryland, are investigating reports that junior varsity football players were repeatedly subjected to racial slurs during a game between the two schools on Monday, November 2, in Glenelg.
"Reports indicate that students were subjected to repeated racial slurs and offensive language during the game," Atholton Principal Shawn Hastings-Hauf and Glenelg Principal Nick Novak said in a joint statement to their communities. "We recognize that these reports are deeply troubling and that incidents of this nature can have a significant impact on students, families, and our broader school community."
The principals did not describe the slurs or say which students were involved. They said they "take allegations of this nature extremely seriously" and that school staff and Howard County Public School System officials are investigating. They asked anyone with information, or any student who needs support, to talk with a school administrator, counselor, or trusted adult.
"Any confirmed violations of HCPSS policies related to bullying, cyberbullying, hate/bias, harassment, and the Student Code of Conduct will be addressed in accordance with established policies and procedures," the statement said. "Regardless of the circumstances surrounding a competition, every student deserves to participate in school-sponsored activities in an environment where they are treated with dignity and respect."
It is the second complaint about slurs at a Glenelg sports event this fall. In October, Columbia mother Regina Dillon said Glenelg soccer players called her daughter and her teammates on the Long Reach High School JV soccer team a racial slur during an October 1 game at Glenelg. "During the game itself, Glenelg soccer players proceeded to call my daughter and her teammates a racial slur," Dillon said. She said the referee told players to stop but the name-calling continued. The district said then that it was investigating and that, because minors were involved, the results might not legally be made public. A Howard County Police spokesperson said police had received no reports about that game.
Atholton, in Columbia, had 1,540 students in the 2024-25 school year, and Glenelg had 1,363, according to federal data. Both are part of the Howard County system.
Sources
CBS Baltimore: 2 Howard County high schools investigate racial slurs used against players during football game (November 4, 2026)
WMAR-2 News: Mom calls for consequences after rival high school athletes called daughter, teammates racial slurs (October 12, 2026)
Enrollment from allk12's analysis of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
