By Paul Bean
Monday January 9, the Milton boys basketball team defeated Northfield 63-29 at Northfield. But Northfield residents are buzzing less about the outcome and more about a photo taken while the National Anthem was played.
The photo shows most members of the Milton team kneeling during the national anthem. This is not the first time the Milton team has knelt during the national anthem. However it garnered significant attention on Northfield social media. Amateur and professional athletes kneeling during the national anthem became commonplace during the heyday of the BLM movement following the 2020 death of George Floyd.
“These kids have no idea what they are doing,” says Kaylan Sweet, who took the photo. “Although they have every right to do what they did, it is due to the men and women who died for that right.”
Sweet, a Northfield resident and parent of one of the Northfield Basketball players, took this photo Monday Night and posted the photo to Facebook with the caption “Win or lose. This team has zero respect for the National Anthem. SHAME on you Milton VT.”
The post gained a lot of traction eventually attracting attention from parents, players, and community members from both Northfield and Milton.
A Facebook comment from a Milton Community member explains the students are kneeling for the national anthem “to call attention to the issues of racial inequality and police brutality.” The comment adds, “Have respect for people’s children, adults like this show what type of person they are!!”
This is not the first instance the Milton Basketball team has been involved in racial controversy. According to a County Courier report, In a home game against BFA Fairfax in February 2023, allegations of racial abuse emerged immediately following the game during a “storm the court” moment:
“In the few seconds it took to clear the BFA students off the floor, some could be seen speaking to MHS players. Some of the players from Milton, which has multiple student-athletes of color, quickly went to head coach Mert Sells and pointed toward the BFA students.” A statement from Milton Town School District Superintendent Amy Rex said: “In the chaos that ensued, it was reported that the n-word was used toward one or more of our students.”
Press reports show that members of the Milton basketball team have been kneeling during the national Anthem for at least two seasons.
“They picked the wrong place and the wrong time- and in most people’s opinion a cause that doesn’t exist. What we have is an ignorance problem, not a racial issue,” says sweet. “And their coach, who may be the only person in the photo who might have experienced real racism in his life, is standing there with his hand on his heart.”
Sweets’ Facebook post was shared 40 times and commented on nearly 500 times, however she says it’s been posted and shared way more by screen shots and reposts. Given all the attention she felt the need to make her page private because of all the people that were attacking not only her private page, but also her public page for her Business in Northfield. She however, will not be taking the post down.
“If you are brave enough to publicly protest, you better be prepared for the public scrutiny – I’ve been through it myself.” In the comments of Sweet’s post is a slew of mudslinging between parents, students, and members of both Northfield and Milton community members.
“I am tired of people thinking because I own and run a successful business that I am not allowed to have or share my opinion without people coming for my business,” says Sweet. “I think it’s time for people to stop being scared and stand up for what they believe in, after all we all bleed American.”
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