Iowa radio station fires employees over racist comments

A northern Iowa radio station has fired a veteran sports announcer and an elementary teacher moonlighting as a board operator for the station for racially charged comments about high school basketball players during an online game broadcast.

Announcer Orin Harris confirmed he was terminated Monday by Forest City radio station KIOW. The station manager for KIOW, Karl Wooldridge, confirmed that two employees were fired Monday.

The Forest City School District says it placed teacher Holly Jane Kusserow-Smidt, who worked as a KIOW board operator, on administrative leave from her teaching job.

KIOW sports announcer Orin Harris was announcing a basketball game between Forest City and Eagle Grove on November 28 (pictured) when he was caught on audio calling the boys from Eagle Grove ‘foreigners’ because of their last names

Ousted: Harris, 76, has worked in broadcasting for 40 years. On Monday, he was fired by KIOW for making the racially charges comments

In a video of last Tuesday’s game between Forest City and Eagle Grove, Harris refers to Eagle Grove boys he believes to be Hispanic because of their last names as ‘foreigners.’

FULL STATEMENT ON FIRINGS FROM KIOW:

‘On Tuesday, November 28th, two employees of KIOW made comments that were insensitive, thoughtless and degrading to others. These comments were deplorable, and the staff and management of KIOW in no way condones or supports these comments.

‘These comments never aired on KIOW Radio. They did, however, appear on a video feed that appeared on a school website.

‘That night when we learned of these comments, we were in contact with the Eagle Grove School District and gathered information about the incident. On Thursday morning, November 30, a letter of apology was sent to school officials, along with details of our actions in regards to the two employees involved.

‘As a result, both employees have been fired from their positions with the station.

‘KIOW Radio has a long history of promoting and supporting student athletes, coaches and schools. As a company, we take great pride in spotlighting the great efforts of our local citizens, schools and communities, and we will demand that all company employees adhere to this policy.

‘They have a lot of Español people in Eagle Grove,’ the broadcaster says while listing the players’ names.

He then notes, ‘they’re all foreigners.’ Kusserow-Smidt repeats Harris’ remark and laughs about it.

‘As Trump would say, go back where they came from,’ Harris adds. Kusserow-Smidt again agrees, saying, ‘Well, some would say that, yeah. Some days I feel like that, too.’

The station learned of Harris’ comments after the video of the online broadcast was shared on Facebook, drawing criticism from users.

‘These comments were deplorable, and the staff and management of KIOW in no way condones or supports these comments,’ the station said.

Eagle Grove School Superintendent Jess Toliver said in a statement he was issued an apology for Harris and Kusserow-Smidt’s remarks mocking his players on November 28.

The third-grade teacher has been with the Forest City School District since 1975, Superintendent Darwin Lehmann told the Des Moines Register, adding that her comments were ‘inconsistent with our values and policy.’

In an interview with KIMT on Monday, Harris, who is married with four grown children and four grandchildren, apologized for his outburst targeting high school students.

‘I’m sorry,’ the 40-year broadcasting veteran said. ‘I’ve disappointed all my family and friends.’

Sorry: In an interview with KIMT on Monday, Harris said he has disappointed his family and friends

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk