A Brunswick high school football player is taking a stand by sitting down.
Senior, Rodney Axson, took a knee during the national anthem during Brunswick's last game. Axson says it followed a confrontation with his teammates for using racial slurs.
Axson said his teammates were using offensive language to describe the opposing team. Offended, Axson said he asked them to stop and said they ignored him.
Axson then followed NFL player Colin Kaepernick's example and took a knee during the national anthem.
James Hardiman, the Vice President of Cleveland's NAACP said the slurs that started in the locker room then quickly spread.
"The insults were then directed toward him. He was referred to using the n-word," Hardiman told NewsChannel 5.
In a Snapchat photo, offensive language is used with Axson's name, including the word "lynch."
"We take that as a direct threat, against a person who should be enjoying senior year in high school," Hardiman said.
The NAACP is investigating what happened.
"I hope officials in Brunswick take the opportunity to address what has the potential to be a volatile situation," Hardiman said.
Brunswick's superintendent, Michael Mayell, issued this statement to NewsChannel 5;
"We are still investigating various incidents of inappropriate and racially motivated conduct by students at Brunswick High School. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement as well. The investigation started as soon as we were made aware. We have disciplined students and will continue to work with the Brunswick Police Department to investigate this situation to it's conclusion. As such, we will not comment further until such time as we have a reasonable grasp on all the facts. However, let me say that a statement which has circulated on social media connected with this investigation is reprehensible and I am deeply disappointed that any of our students would participate in its publication. Racial slurs and hate speech have no place in the Brunswick schools and those found complicit in such misconduct will be dealt with accordingly."
