Nisky HS Football Players Kneel During Anthem [PHOTO]
What started as one NFL player, Colin Kaepernick, "taking a knee" during the National Anthem just over a year ago, has turned into a widespread, polarizing issue that has melded the world of politics, sports, social injustices, and civil rights. It had yet to trickle down into the world of high school athletics, until last night. With a litany of high school games planned for this afternoon and evening, will more players take part? Will fans become irritated?
According to the Daily Gazette, Ismail Stewart, a Niskayuna senior, said he was the one that initially brought up the idea with his teammates about doing something during Thursday’s game. A total of 6 players and one cheerleader from Niskayuna took a knee while the National Anthem played.
When asked why he did it, this is what he told the Gazette: “It was my job as the one who brought it to the team to explain why we were taking a knee,” said Stewart, who is of mixed race, but describes himself as black. “The reason is there are some social injustices happening in this nation. And, yeah, OK, I’m just 16, I’m just a high school senior — but it’s my job, just like it’s anyone else’s, to be a voice and to speak against those injustices. I feel like it’s my job to speak.”
No players on Guilderland kneeled during the anthem in the game they won 68-0.