by Tori Newby ’22

After recent incidents of Sherwood students shouting abusive comments at sporting events, Principal Tim Britton  emailed the Sherwood community at 8:45 pm on October 7 with an attached file of a letter he sent to Einstein’s principal and school community. In the letter, Britton addressed the “racist and sexual” comments made by Sherwood students at both the girls soccer game on September 30 and the girls volleyball game on October 4. He stated that an investigation will be conducted and consequences will be assigned to those students involved.

“We missed an opportunity to publicly acknowledge the impact that these actions had on you and the members of your school community prior to this correspondence. For this we are truly sorry, and we are committed to improving our approach to matters of race and equity,” Britton wrote in the letter.

Britton stated that representatives of Sherwood will travel to Einstein on Monday, October 11, where the MCPS Equity Initiatives Unity will facilitate discussion between staff members and student leadership in order to repair and restore the schools’ relationship with one another.

“All are welcome at Sherwood High School,” Britton concluded the letter.

At the senior breakfast on Friday, October 8, Britton announced to the senior class that as the leaders of the school, they must step up to promote a positive environment rather than encouraging what he described as negativity towards opposing teams.

Britton acknowledged that the recent incidents, along with others shared on social media, have led to a perception among some in Montgomery County that Sherwood is an unwelcoming place, particularly for students of color from other high schools. He pleaded with seniors to be leaders in promoting positive behaviors at sporting events and other activities and to not yell “something that is going to be misconstrued as inappropriate or wrong.” Britton told the seniors that the vast majority of Sherwood students are showing their school spirit in proper ways, “but unfortunately, it only takes one to give the wrong picture to all,” he said.