Florida HS baseball team had season canceled after racist texts led to players' walkout in protest.

Robert Butz, principal at Fort Myers High School in Florida, has made the difficult decision to cancel the rest of the varsity baseball team's season, after the team walked out in protest following the firing of their coach. After much consideration and consultation with the families of the players, Butz concluded that the current status of the team and coaching staff did not provide a viable path forward for the remainder of the season.

The issue of racial insensitivity led to the turmoil, when assistant coach Alex Carcioppolo sent a text message to the team group chat with a racial slur. He was removed from the school soon after, and Fort Myers athletic director Steve Cato opened a Title VI investigation.

On April 5, fourth-year head coach Kyle Burchfield was let go – and in response, members of the team staged a walkout during their game against Estero High. Fort Myers was fined $500 for the unsportsmanlike conduct as Cato reported the incident to the Florida High School Athletic Association.

Ultimately, Butz was faced with the difficult decision to cancel the team's season and the players' efforts to make a stand for their coach, although unsuccessful, is commendable.

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