Air Academy Coach Jackson Refuses to Play Lutheran Over Racial Safety Fears

Waymond Jackson, the head football coach at Air Academy High School, informed district leaders he would not send his players onto the field against Lutheran High School of Parker due to fears of racial abuse. Internal emails obtained through the Colorado Open Records Act show Jackson taking a firm stance while district administrators appeared to want the dispute contained.

The conflict traces back to a Sept. 24 football 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 during the event. They described being called "Harriet Tubman," hearing slurs, and seeing belts whipped toward them. Jackson also cited complaints from Rampart High School staff, who said Lutheran attendees directed slurs at their families during three separate games across two levels of play.

By Oct. 5, Jackson had decided Air Academy would not play its scheduled Oct. 9 homecoming game unless the allegations were fully investigated and addressed with concrete accountability steps. In an email to a district official, Jackson stated the decision was not about football but about whether the students were safe. He wrote that as a Black man responsible for young people, he would not knowingly send students, managers, and families into a setting where they might face racial abuse.

District officials responded with a mixed message that Jackson described as a "slap in the face." Becky Harris, the district's assistant superintendent for learning services, told Principal Amy Ripperger that she respected Jackson's decision but directed him not to inform his staff or students. Air Academy flag football coach Barry Clark told a parent that the district would not support the school if it declined to play. Jackson asked the district to formally back the decision and share it with Lutheran and the Colorado High School Activities Association, but the district's Oct. 8 public statement said only that individual decisions affected coaching participation.

The school's official announcement to the public did not mention racism. It stated the team was forfeiting the game because it lacked enough coaches. Players later said they supported the forfeit as a protest against the alleged conduct at Lutheran. On Oct. 7, Principal Ripperger wrote that no coaches were willing to coach on Friday night. District communications chief Mark Belcher noted that individual staff emails do not always reflect official district positions.

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 state athletic body threatened to suspend Lutheran unless the school completes a corrective action plan. Lutheran executive director Dan Gehrke said the school condemns racism and will meet every requirement. He noted that Lutheran had 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. On Friday, Lutheran will play Montrose, marking its first game since the controversy emerged. A coalition of Lutheran parents has launched an online fundraiser to cover security costs and legal action against the athletic association, media outlets, and individuals who accused the school community of racism. As of Thursday, the campaign had raised more than $53,000 toward a $500,000 goal.

Jackson is currently restricted from speaking with the media. The district is working with both schools to manage the ongoing situation, though the internal emails suggest a clear divide between the coaching staff and administrative leadership regarding how to handle the dispute.