California High School Football Coach Kicks Local Reporter off Practice Field After Story About Lawsuit and Racism Allegations

Tuesday afternoon, Colin Atagi, a staff writer at The Press Democrat — located in Santa Rosa, Calif., — published a story detailing former Cardinal Newman High School student Lonzo Arterberry's lawsuit against Cardinal Newman's head football coach, Richard D. Sanchez, and other school officials. On Wednesday, according to The Press Democrat, Sanchez demanded that Press Democrat staff writer Gus Morris leave practice, and threatened to call 911 on the reporter.

The lawsuit, filed on July 27 by Arterberry's father, Jerome Arterberry, alleges that Arterberry, 17, was expelled from Cardinal Newman in retaliation for speaking out on racist and discriminatory comments made by Sanchez towards him and other players of color.

Morris, who The Press Democrat says has covered at least four Cardinal Newman practices and at least six games since joining the paper in September of 2021, had texted with Sanchez last Friday, asking the latter what his team's practice schedule was for this week.

Sanchez replied that during the week, Cardinal Newman was practicing from 4 p.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT, to which Morris replied he would be there on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. On Monday, Morris asked Sanchez if he could attend practice on Wednesday, to which Sanchez did not reply.

On Tuesday, the story on the lawsuit was published. The next morning, Cardinal Newman President and Superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa, Linda Norman, left the Press Democrat a voicemail declining comment on the story, and said that no reporters would be permitted on campus that afternoon.

That afternoon, Morris followed up with Sanchez about attending Wednesday's practice, to which the latter replied with "Our president left you a message. Don't show up."

Norman then told a Press Democrat reporter that Morris could attend, but only if he discussed football matters. Morris relayed that message to Sanchez via text.

But upon arriving at practice, Morris was confronted by Sanchez, who reportedly said, "I told you that you couldn't be here. You clearly don't listen," and denied that Norman had given Morris permission to attend if he focused on football. Sanchez then said he would call 911 if Morris did not leave campus.

The lawsuit says that after the 2022 fall football season, Arterberry, who is Black, and his family brought concerns to school officials regarding discriminatory comments that Sanchez had made towards players of color.

The lawsuit said that Sanchez used nicknames such as "Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Green Card and Gardener," when referring to certain players of color. After that, Arterberry was cut from the team and lost certain benefits associated with a spot on the roster, including his personal Hudl account — which allows college recruiters to view highlights and achievements of high school players.

On Feb. 28, Arterberry appeared in front of the Santa Rosa City Council, detailing his experiences. Noting that other Cardinal Newman players wished to speak up but felt they could not do so, Arterberry said, "I do not regret taking the bullet at all because I feel like this is a matter that should be spoken up about because it is a very serious matter."

On March 10, Arterberry received an email saying he had been expelled from Cardinal Newman, effective March 8.

After the incident between Morris and Sanchez on Wednesday, The Press Democrat's executive editor, Richard A. Green, said that it was "ludicrous and smacks of thin-skinned officials putting their egos ahead of the students they serve. It also shortchanges our readers of coverage of one of the most prominent schools in Sonoma County.”