A Pinal County judge issued a temporary restraining order putting the probation against Coolidge High School’s athletics department on hold.
The restraining order allows Coolidge sports teams to continue competing in postseason games, including a planned basketball game this weekend between Coolidge and Snowflake.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association previously put all Coolidge High teams on a year-long probation following allegations that Coolidge supporters harassed and made racist remarks against players from Chinle High School.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association says its member schools are committed to the highest standards of respectful behavior.
The Association had barred all Coolidge High teams from taking part in postseason competitions regardless of the sport.
Chinle leaders thanked the AIA earlier this week for issuing the probation but could not be immediately reached for comment following the judicial order.
Democratic Rep. Myron Tsosie represents the area in the State House and was one of the first people to publicize the incident.
Tsosie didn’t respond to an interview request but says in a statement that the probation is necessary.
“Many of our fans and athletes have endured this type of behavior for many years and have fallen upon deaf ears,” he says. “I hope that this is a lesson learned for all schools who are members of the AIA. Let’s continue to show positive sportsmanship and enjoy the sports our students enjoy participating in.”
Coolidge Unified School District Superintendent Dawn Hodge, however, calls the decision disproportionate to what occurred at the game, and says it punishes student-athletes who weren't involved.
According to Hodge, the school presented an alternate plan to reinforce sportsmanship among Coolidge players and fans, but the AIA chose probation instead.
The AIA reaffirmed the probation after Coolidge appealed the decision Thursday. The AIA board agreed to reconsider the probation in April.
It's unclear how the AIA will proceed after the judicial order put the probation on hold Friday.
Videos shared on social media purport to show Coolidge players and supporters harassing, threatening and spitting on Chinle players and fans during and after a playoff game last week.
Republican state Sen. TJ Shope, who represents Coolidge in the Legislature, criticized Tsosie for getting involved.
He says outsiders with a political agenda are using “half-truths” to villainize his community in the media and online.
Shope didn’t respond to an interview request, but in a statement to social media, he blames an “avalanche of selectively edited social media videos provided to an ever-eager media to portray [Coolidge] as something it is not.”
Editor's note: Text updated at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27. The attached audio reflects events before the judicial order.
