FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — “I was furious.”
That was Andrew Jackson High School parent Antoinette Beckton’s reaction after a Thursday night volleyball game in Fernandina Beach, Florida, led to allegations that students in the stands used a Black baby doll and racially offensive behavior to taunt players from the visiting Jacksonville school.
Nassau County School District says it has opened an investigation into what it called “deeply troubling allegations” stemming from the Sept. 10 varsity match between Fernandina Beach High School and Andrew Jackson High School.
Beckton, whose daughter plays for Andrew Jackson, told Action News Jax she was “beyond disbelief” over what she witnessed.
Photos shared after the game appear to show a person in the stands holding a Black baby doll above his head. Beckton alleged that Fernandina Beach students used the doll while making racial slurs, chants and gestures directed toward Andrew Jackson players.
The specific alleged comments and circumstances have not been independently verified, and the school district has not publicly identified the students involved.
Parent says conduct escalated after player was hurt
Beckton said the situation became especially disturbing after an Andrew Jackson player fell and appeared to be injured.
She alleged that students in the stands raised the doll while making comments about the injured player and laughing.
In a social media post reported by local outlets, Beckton called for Fernandina Beach High School, Nassau County School District, Andrew Jackson High School and Duval County Public Schools to investigate what happened and take action.
She also criticized what she described as a lack of immediate intervention by adults at the game.
A photo from Beckton’s post and her account of the incident spread widely online Friday, helping push the controversy beyond the two schools.
A separate video obtained by Action News Jax reportedly showed students retrieving the doll near a concession area after the game. In that video, students could be heard referring to the doll in connection with parenting, according to the station. That video does not by itself establish why the doll was brought to the game or what occurred with it during the match.
Nassau County Schools opens investigation
The Nassau County School District statement reported by Action News Jax said administrators immediately began reviewing available video and collecting information from students, coaches, staff members and other people who were present.
The district said it also was communicating with Duval County Public Schools.
“Racism has no place in our schools or at our athletic events,” the district said in its statement.
Officials said any action would depend on the findings of the investigation and district policy.
Because the case involves students and remains under investigation, Nassau County Schools said it could not provide additional details at this stage.
Duval County Public Schools separately acknowledged reports of what it described as concerning and unacceptable behavior and said the allegations included possible racial implications. The district said the Nassau and Duval superintendents had been in communication and that Duval would continue supporting its students while the matter was reviewed.
Jacksonville officials are also weighing in
The incident has drawn attention from Jacksonville elected and school officials.
Jacksonville City Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman said students traveling outside Duval County should not be subjected to intimidation.
Duval County School Board member Darryl Willie told Action News Jax that the two school superintendents had spoken and that Duval’s athletic director had also been in contact with the state athletic association. Willie said the Florida High School Athletic Association was conducting an investigation, according to the station.
The controversy has also drawn criticism from others in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Free Press reported condemnation from the Jacksonville Branch NAACP and noted that the photos circulating online appeared to show students with a dark-skinned baby doll.
The Free Press also stressed that the alleged racial comments described by Beckton had not been independently verified.
What happens next
The central questions now are what district investigators find on available video, what witnesses tell administrators and whether school or athletic officials determine that district or FHSAA rules were violated.
For now, Nassau County Schools has characterized the matter as an active investigation rather than announcing any disciplinary findings.
That distinction matters because the most serious details — including allegations of racial slurs and specific comments directed toward Andrew Jackson players — currently come from parents and witnesses rather than a completed official investigation.
Nassau County Schools said it would provide updates when appropriate while protecting student privacy and the integrity of the investigation.
