Pendleton County board modifies no‑trespass order for Romeo Perez after appeal citing racial slurs

The Pendleton County Board of Education voted to modify a no‑trespass order against Romeo Perez after an appeal in which Perez said sustained racial harassment provoked his reaction at a Nov. 14 high‑school football game.

Perez told the board he was not “here to excuse my actions” but said district officials had failed to address ongoing racial slurs and physical intimidation that led to his response. “I reacted physically, and I take responsibility for my reaction,” Perez said, while arguing the other adult involved had repeatedly used the n‑word and followed him during the game.

The board reviewed staff records, discussed available video evidence and entered executive session to consult with counsel under state law. Superintendent Nicole Hettenar recommended that the board modify Perez’s no‑trespass order so that, upon verification that he completed a sportsmanship course, Perez may attend the Troutfest beauty pageant and, with appropriate behavior, graduation. Superintendent Hettenar also recommended providing Perez a free Hudl account so he could watch youth‑league games remotely; the board approved the recommendation by voice vote.

Board attorney (S3) had advised the board the appeal process is governed by Pendleton County Board of Education Policy 91‑60, which allows the board to bar attendance at school events for conduct that constitutes a disruption and explains the appellant’s choice of open or closed session when family privacy may be implicated.

Perez and his wife described the suspension’s impact on family life, saying the restriction prevented him from attending several upcoming events and had harmed his children’s ability to see their father at games and ceremonies. Perez’s wife told the board the family had lost opportunities to celebrate academic and extracurricular milestones and reiterated her account that the other adult continued attending school events during the same period.

Board members questioned whether the district video clearly captured the audio of slurs or definitive physical contact; several members said the district’s recording lacked clear audio and that social‑media copies had been used by community members to view the incident. After deliberation in executive session, the board returned to public session and voted to modify the no‑trespass conditions while leaving the rest of the suspension intact.

The board’s action was procedural: it set conditions for limited, conditional attendance (completion of a sportsmanship course and appropriate conduct), authorized remote viewing via Hudl for other events, and left the longer suspension in place for other school activities. The meeting adjourned after the vote; the board scheduled its next regular meeting for February.