ESPN featured Fort Myers High School baseball in an exclusive documentary covering "The Walkout" following a coach's texts using racial slurs that led to the team's division.
In April 2023, Fort Myers High School baseball players staged a walkout on their own teammates six weeks after an assistant coach sent a text message to the team that included a racial slur.
The district said assistant coach Alex Carcioppolo sent an inappropriate text to members of the boys varsity baseball team in February 2023.
A parent of one of the players sent NBC2 a screenshot of the conversation, showing a message containing the sentence “Happy Valentine’s Day n-----.” Carcioppolo was removed on Feb. 16.
Head Coach Kyle Burchfield was removed on April 5, 2023, a district spokesperson said. The district did not confirm why Burchfield was removed from his position.
The following year, in April 2024, families of the Fort Myers High School baseball team claimed racism and prejudice in a lawsuit they filed against the former coach, former school superintendent and other school officials.
The fallout continued, with the filing of two federal discrimination lawsuits , including one by former Major League Baseball player Michael Tucker, whose son is on the team.
ESPN used exclusive interviews, cell phone videos, public records and body camera footage from police to explore what led to the walkout in this exclusive investigative documentary.
The film covers the players, parents and program who were affected and what this situation can teach about divisiveness in America.
To watch the full documentary, click here .
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