The Latest: Texas school district apologizes for racial slur

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on a Texas high school football broadcaster who used racial slurs during a recent game (all times local):

1:05 p.m.

A Texas school district has apologized after a broadcaster who provided coverage of a recent football game used an apparent racial slur when referring to African-American players on the opposing team.

Arlington schools spokeswoman Leslie Johnston said in an email Friday that the Cleburne school district, south of Fort Worth, apologized for the comments made last week in a matchup between Seguin High and Cleburne High.

Johnston also says Cleburne officials have told Arlington administrators that the broadcaster will no longer call games.

She says the schools believe “this is not a time for divisiveness.”

Johnston identified the broadcaster as Mark Banton.

Banton acknowledged to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he was one of the broadcasters but says he has “nothing to say” about the comments.

A spokeswoman for Cleburne schools did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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12:15 p.m.

A Texas school district says a high school football broadcaster used racial slurs and made other offensive comments while calling a game involving one of its teams.

Arlington schools spokeswoman Leslie Johnston said Friday that the comments were made during a game between Seguin High School and Cleburne High School and that those comments were broadcast in online audio coverage.

Seguin is in Arlington Independent School District.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that more than a third of the Seguin student body is African-American while about 3 percent of students at Cleburne High, south of Fort Worth, are black.

Johnston says the broadcaster also made comments about a cheerleader’s weight.

Mark Banton acknowledges he was one of the broadcasters but says he has “nothing to say” about the comments.