In deep-blue Santa Rosa, California, woke high school students staged a mass walkout that helped sideline a football team, all because the team captain dared to post “Free the Cornell 7” on Instagram.
More than 200 students at Piner Junior Senior High School walked out of class on Friday, October 9, and marched roughly 2.5 miles to the Santa Rosa City Schools district offices. Many wore white shirts marked with red and teal handprints.
They demanded “accountability” for a football team captain who, on October 2, posted the phrase on his Instagram.
Cheerleaders reportedly first spotted the post while traveling to a game in Napa and helped organize the protest, according to the Press Democrat.
The captain, whose name has been withheld because he is a minor, later pushed back in an Instagram story.
He wrote “Y’all don’t scare me,” mocked the “cancel him” and “he supports rape” reactions, and told critics to “Grow up.” He also shared information highlighting the Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights of the accused.
The next day, the Piner Prospectors forfeited their Saturday game against Archie Williams High School in San Anselmo.
Coach Adam Rosenstein and athletic director Ryan Riddle cited a shortage of healthy players, specifically only five healthy linemen despite having 33 players listed on the varsity roster, according to the SFGATE report.
The forfeit, finalized Friday evening, dropped Piner to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in conference play. Officials said the season has been challenging with roster numbers, but the timing, one day after the walkout, has drawn scrutiny.
Students argued that a football captain should not be publicly expressing support for individuals facing such serious allegations.
One senior student, identified only as Aiyanna, told The Press Democrat:
“He doesn’t deserve to be representing us.”
She added that fellow students did not support the captain’s message.
An anonymous parent of a cheerleader told the Press Democrat that the captain was barred from a team dinner on Thursday because it would make the cheerleaders “uncomfortable,” but details of further discipline were unclear at the time.
Piner Principal Andrea Correia subsequently issued a statement condemning sexual assault, harassment, and abuse.
School district officials also confirmed that they were investigating the social media post and reviewing potential disciplinary action under district policies.
By Monday, Santa Rosa City Schools public information officer Patrick Gannon confirmed the school and district had reprimanded the minor under a “zero-tolerance” policy for “making light of sexual assault.” Specifics of the punishment were not released, KRON4 reported.
“Action was taken by the school and the district, and we’re continuing to have conversation. We don’t tolerate making light of sexual assault. That’s why we have a zero-tolerance policy,” said Gannon.
“We understand the frustration. I think that nationally there is a theme where there’s a lack of accountability. We want students to know that we stand with them.”
