23.3083.02000
Sixty-eighth
Legislative Assembly HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 3022
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Representatives Davis, Dakane, Dobervich, Fegley, Finley-DeVille, Henderson, Holle,
Nelson, Schreiber-Beck
Senators Mathern, Weston
1 A concurrent resolution directing the Legislative Management to consider studying and clarifying
2 the roles of the State Board of Public School Education, the Superintendent of Public
3 Instruction, the boards of public school districts, and the North Dakota High School Activities
4 Association, as they relate to proper spectator conduct, including the clarification of
5 expectations and consequences for violating those expectations, and the promotion of good
6 sportsmanship and good citizenship, including embracing diversity.
7 WHEREAS, unsportsmanlike conduct at high school activities includes racial discrimination
8 and harassment directed at players by spectators, including behavior among rival spectator
9 groups which can escalate into disruptions and violence in the stands; and
10 WHEREAS, countless instances of racial harassment and race-based name calling during
11 high school sporting events have occurred, and continue to occur, whether subtle or flagrant;
12 and
13 WHEREAS, recently, student spectators from a North Dakota high school verbally taunted
14 and physically mocked student athletes from a tribal high school located in North Dakota; and
15 WHEREAS, on January 31, 2023, student spectators from a North Dakota high school
16 taunted a student athlete of color from another North Dakota high school by imitating monkey
17 sounds and directing racial slurs at the player during a basketball game; and
18 WHEREAS, public outcry and media coverage is prevalent, yet consequences for
19 harassment are unclear; and
20 WHEREAS, student athletes of color deserve protection from discriminatory and racist
21 behaviors; and
22 WHEREAS, student spectators engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct, including racist
23 conduct, and the schools those students represent deserve to be held accountable for
24 inappropriate behavior;
Page No. 1 23.3083.02000
 Sixty-eighth
Legislative Assembly
1 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF
2 NORTH DAKOTA, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN:
3 That the Legislative Management consider studying and clarifying the roles of the State
4 Board of Public School Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the boards of public
5 school districts, and the North Dakota High School Activities Association, as they relate to
6 proper spectator conduct, including the clarification of expectations and consequences for
7 violating those expectations, and the promotion of good sportsmanship and good citizenship,
8 including embracing diversity; and
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Legislative Management report its findings and
10 recommendations, together with any legislation required to implement the recommendations, to
11 the Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly.
Page No. 2 23.3083.02000