Coach's emails reveal racial safety concerns behind Air Academy forfeit

Internal emails obtained through the Colorado Open Records Act show Air Academy High School head football coach Waymond Jackson warned district leaders that playing Lutheran High School of Parker exposed his players to potential racial abuse. The correspondence challenges the district's public explanation for forfeiting the Oct. 9 homecoming game, which cited a lack of sufficient coaches rather than citing the underlying safety concerns.

Jackson, who serves as both head coach and dean, wrote to a district official on Oct. 5 that the decision was not about football but about whether students were safe. He stated that as a Black man responsible for young people in the district, he would not knowingly send students, managers, and families into a setting where they might face racial abuse. He required the allegations to be fully investigated and addressed with concrete accountability steps before Air Academy would resume play.

The dispute traces back to a Sept. 24 game between Lutheran and Sand Creek High School. Several Sand Creek cheerleaders and their coach reported that Lutheran students and community members made racist remarks and gestures. They described being called Harriet Tubman, hearing slurs, and experiencing belts being whipped toward them. Jackson also cited claims from Rampart High School staff that Lutheran participants directed slurs at Rampart families during other games.

Jackson noted that the reports came from two different schools across three games and two levels of play. He criticized Academy District 20 for failing to back the school's decision not to play. In an Oct. 5 email, he called the lack of support a slap in the face and asked the district to formally support the forfeit and share the decision with Lutheran and the Colorado High School Activities Association.

District administrators appear to have preferred a quieter approach. Air Academy flag football coach Barry Clark told a parent in an Oct. 5 email that the district would not support the school if it declined to play. Becky Harris, the district assistant superintendent for learning services, wrote that Principal Amy Ripperger respected Jackson's decision but directed him not to inform his staff or students. On Oct. 7, Ripperger wrote that the team had zero coaches willing to coach on Friday night.

The district issued a statement on Oct. 8 saying it had worked with both schools to hold the game by limiting visiting fans to families of Lutheran players and adding security. The statement attributed the forfeit to individual decisions affecting coaching participation. Mark Belcher, the district communications chief, noted that individual staff emails do not always reflect official district positions and may lack context. Jackson told The Denver Post that he is not allowed to speak with the media.

The Colorado High School Activities Association has found that Lutheran spectators and participants used discriminatory language and behaviors across multiple football and basketball events. The association has threatened suspension unless the school completes a corrective action plan. Lutheran executive director Dan Gehrke said the school condemns racism and will meet every CHSAA requirement. He noted that Lutheran offered a spectator plan and a meeting with head coaches and expressed regret that students lost the chance to compete.

Coronado High School also forfeited its game against Lutheran. As of Thursday, a Lutheran parent coalition had raised more than $53,000 toward a $500,000 goal for an online fundraiser supporting security and legal action involving the CHSAA, media outlets, and individuals who accused the school community of racism. Lutheran plays Montrose on Friday, its first game since the controversy emerged.