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Brighton student says inconsistent tryout decisions left him wondering if bias played a role
Summary
At a public comment period, Brighton student Omer DeMirtis said he was cut from varsity basketball twice under inconsistent criteria and raised concerns about whether his Muslim Turkish American identity affected decisions; his father urged the board to ensure fair treatment and to examine deference to coaches’ decisions.
During public comment at the Dec. 2 Brighton Central School District Board meeting, student Omer DeMirtis described two consecutive years of varsity basketball tryout rejections he said followed inconsistent explanations from coaches and left him questioning whether he was singled out because he is Muslim and Turkish American.
"Is it because I'm a Muslim and Turkish American? I don't know," Omer told the board, describing praise for his skills in meetings followed by explanations that he "wasn't a fit." He said teammates and other students described the outcome as unfair and some used the word racist.
Omer's father recounted the same meeting and said four witnesses and the athletic director were present when the coach first praised Omer's performance and then suggested Omer might "become a future cancer," framing that as an assumption instead of an observation. "Dominated the tryout is the observation. Potential cancer is the assumption," the father said, and he asked the board to use its authority to ensure fair treatment aligned with district equity values.
Board members did not take formal action at the meeting; Dr. McGowan and board staff invited any concerns to be pursued through district processes and noted the board's public comment time is not a question‑and‑answer session. The session closed with appreciation for the speakers and an invitation to continue dialogue at follow‑up meetings.
