Spurs’ Popovich blasts Alamo Heights ISD over Columbus Day

SAN ANTONIO – Spurs caput manager Gregg Popovich blasted a San Antonio-area schoolhouse territory for continuing to grant Christopher Columbus and the time that bears the Italian explorer’s name.

Popovich, speaking to reporters connected Friday earlier a Spurs preseason game, was asked astir President Joe Biden’s proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day connected Monday, Oct. 11.

“It’s mode overdue for our country. I would deliberation determination are a batch of radical precise blessed astir it,” said Popovich. “I deliberation the proclamation was evidently appropriate, important, needed and each those sorts of things, but I’m a small confused astir our city, and wherefore its Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day.”

The Spurs caput manager past shared wherefore helium felt Columbus Day should not beryllium recognized successful US schools and criticized Alamo Heights ISD for continuing to grant Columbus portion crediting San Antonio ISD for recognizing Indigenous groups.

“Columbus? He initiated a caller satellite genocide. That’s what helium did. Beginning with him and what helium acceptable successful motion, and what followed meant the annihilation of each Indigenous idiosyncratic successful Hispaniola, which was Haiti and the Dominican Republic today. He took slaves. He mutilated. He murdered. And we’re going to accidental say ‘slash’ and grant him?” Popovich questioned.

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“I person to springiness the San Antonio Independent School District a small spot of recognition due to the fact that astatine slightest they added Indigenous Peoples’ Day on with it and that’s a measurement successful the close direction, but what the hellhole is Alamo Heights thinking? It’s Columbus Day. That’s wherefore they’re disconnected connected Monday? Maybe there’s thing I’m missing and I’m ignorant, but it makes maine consciousness similar they’re surviving successful a telephone booth and they’re educating our kids. Columbus Day? And we’re going to grant that?” Popovich said.

The Alamo Heights schoolhouse calendar recognized Columbus Day arsenic a pupil vacation and unit improvement time portion SAISD’s calendar recognized Oct. 11 arsenic a vacation for Columbus Day I Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

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Popovich added that his disapproval of Columbus Day was not a “knock connected Italian-Americans” and respective different states person already started to admit Indigenous groups and their stories.

“That’s a silly argument. It’s similar saying we should beryllium arrogant of Hitler due to the fact that we’re German. I mean it makes nary sense. It’s astir Columbus. It’s not astir Italian-Americans. And so, determination are a batch of states that person travel retired and scratched the Columbus Day and made it Indigenous Peoples’ Day. But successful our city, are we that backward that we person schoolhouse districts that bash that? I’m amazed. Just amazed,” Popovich said.

KSAT reached retired to the Alamo Heights ISD for a connection connected Popovich’s comments and had not heard backmost from the territory arsenic of 5 p.m. Monday.

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