Student’s racial discrimination allegations false, say ex-Blue Valley dance coaches
A former Blue Valley dance coach named in a black student’s racial discrimination lawsuit that has received national attention said the suit does not contain the “whole story.”
In a U.S. District Court lawsuit, Blue Valley Northwest High School graduate Camille Sturdivant alleged, among other things, that a team choreographer said her skin was “too dark” and would distract from other dancers.
The accusations are “false and misleading,” said Carley Fine, who is named in the suit and was head coach for the high school’s Dazzlers dance team until the district fired her in May. Fine said she is prepared to have her day in court.
“I am anxiously looking forward to defending myself,” Fine said in an emailed statement to The Star. “It’s tempting to answer accusations, especially when so many of them are false and/or misleading. My legal team, however, insists we defend our case in a courtroom, not on the internet or the evening news.”
The suit is also filed against the school district, Blue Valley Northwest High School principal Amy Pressly and another teacher and parent of a Dazzler team member, Katie Porter.
Sturdivant’s suit alleges that in July 2017 team choreographer Kevin Murakami said her skin would clash with the costumes and distract from the other dancers. He excluded her from a contemporary dance performance.
Sturdivant, who had danced for the team her sophomore, junior and senior years, reported the incident to Pressly, who told her and her parents that Murakami could pick whom he wanted for the dances.
In a statement sent to The Star, Murakami said the accusations were not true.
“I never said Camille Sturdivant’s skin was too dark,” he wrote. “I never joked that she was too dark. I never even referenced the color of her skin. This is made up, and it’s absolute nonsense. And this is what made up the headlines that flashed around the world in recent days.”
Though Murakami is mentioned in the lawsuit, he is not a defendant.
The lawsuit also alleges that last spring, Sturdivant saw a text message exchange between Murakami and Fine when Fine asked Sturdivant to use her phone to play music for a dance performance. According to the suit, the exchange was about Sturdivant making the Golden Girls dance team at the University of Missouri.
“THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. I’m so mad,” Murakami allegedly wrote.
According to the lawsuit, Fine responded, “It actually makes my stomach hurt.”
She then added: “Bc she’s (expletive) black. I hate that.”
Sturdivant took a picture of the text messages and told Pressly with her parents. Fine was fired the next day.
“Respectful and meaningful relationships between staff and students are at the heart of Blue Valley’s culture,” the district said in a statement last week. “Discrimination of any kind has no place here. The District expects staff to treat all students with respect at all times, and any report that this expectation has not been fulfilled is taken very seriously.
“As stated in the Complaint, on May 1, 2018, Mrs. Sturdivant showed Dr. Pressly the text message between Mr. Murakami and Ms. Fine. Ms. Fine’s employment with the District was separated the following day on May 2, 2018.”
But the suit alleges that Fine did not stop interacting with dance team members. They went to dinner together on the Country Club Plaza on the night of a canceled team banquet. Sturdivant and the only other black team member were not invited.
The suit says that Porter, a district teacher and team parent, attended this dinner as well as a dinner at one of the dancer’s homes that Fine also attended and Sturdivant was excluded from.
Pressly allegedly told the Sturdivants that because these dinners were not school-sponsored events, she could not compel the girls to invite Sturdivant.
At a final performance later that spring, the same girls wore purple ribbons with CF, for Carley Fine, printed on them.
Fine, who is listed as the owner of Perception Dance studio in Lenexa, has since coached a team called the Dazzler AllStars, which won a regional Dance Team Union title and plans to compete at a national championship this winter.
A Blue Valley spokeswoman said that team is not affiliated with the district nor Blue Valley Northwest High School.
In her statement, Fine said she had “dedicated” her time to helping young dancers, and “in no way would I ever want to cause pain, distress or concern.”
“Getting only one side of a story paints an unattractive picture; it’s not the whole story though,” Fine said. “The evidence will clear up so many of the lingering questions and shocking allegations surrounding this lawsuit, and I look forward to that.”
Murakami said he has been dismayed by court filings “immediately accepted as complete truth” and “reported worldwide as the truth.”
“I choreographed, taught and supported Camille,” Murakami said. “I treated her the same as I treated all of the dancers with whom I work … with respect.”
Kevin Murakami’s complete statement:
I used to read stories on the web or watch them on television and take them at face value; it’s the news, so it must be true, right? I assumed that if someone filed a civil lawsuit, they were certainly telling the truth.
But after being mentioned in a federal civil rights lawsuit as the choreographer who allegedly told a dancer she was “too dark” to dance in the Blue Valley School District, I learned that anyone can say anything in a lawsuit. Not only will it be immediately accepted as complete truth, but it will also be reported worldwide as the truth.
I never said Camille Sturdivant’s skin was too dark. I never joked that she was too dark. I never even referenced the color of her skin. This is made up, and it’s absolute nonsense. And this is what made up the headlines that flashed around the world in recent days.
Be clear: I’m half Japanese and also gay. My family has experienced racism, so I was raised to be open and to appreciate all races, genders, sexual orientations and cultures. I am not a racist, and I never commented on Camille’s skin color. These accusations are untrue and are extremely damaging.
I choreographed, taught and supported Camille. I treated her the same as I treated all of the dancers with whom I work... with respect.
To those who have contacted me with words of support in the past five days? Thank you. And to those who are taking the time to read my statement? Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight.
Carley Fine’s complete statement:
The federal lawsuit filed against the Blue Valley School District also names the Blue Valley Northwest High School principal, a Blue Valley teacher and me. The focus of most of the actions in the lawsuit is on the school district and several of its employees, but my name has been mentioned in news coverage that has been shared widely on social media.
Because I am named, I am anxiously looking forward to defending myself. It’s tempting to answer accusations, especially when so many of them are false and/or misleading. My legal team, however, insists we defend our case in a courtroom, not on the internet or the evening news.
I have dedicated myself to helping our dancers achieve their goals. This includes not only working with them on their dance skills and routines, but also working with them outside the studio. In no way would I ever want to cause pain, distress or concern.
Getting only one side of a story paints an unattractive picture; it’s not the whole story though. The evidence will clear up so many of the lingering questions and shocking allegations surrounding this lawsuit, and I look forward to that.
Thank you to all who have reached out to me, offering your support. So many of you have reminded me that, in this country, the accused has a right to the presumption of innocence.
Please know how seriously I take this lawsuit, and please understand why I have to remain silent for now.
This story was originally published January 23, 2019 at 1:49 PM.
