In a statement Wednesday, the NJSIAA said it has received reports from both Dover and Jefferson on the alleged racist incident that targeted Dover basketball players in a game at Jefferson Friday. Its solution so far: Tell the schools to work it out themselves.
“The schools have been instructed to meet,” the statement said, “and come forward with appropriate action plans to satisfy both the letter and spirit of the NJSIAA sportsmanship policy. If they are unable to fulfill that obligation, the Betgram matter will go to the controversies committee of their own conference, the New Jersey Athletic Conference. If necessary, NJSIAA will convene its controversies committee, which will intercede as necessary.”
The full NJSIAA statement is posted below.
The Dover-Jefferson conflict stems from allegations that fans in the Jefferson student section repeatedly chanted “ashy knees” at an African-American player for Dover when he shot foul shots and “Build the wall” while Dover, which has a number of Hispanic players, warmed up before the game.
Both Dover and Jefferson released separate statements regarding the situation earlier this week, while Dover principal Robert Franks expressed frustration about how the matter was handled in the gym, telling NJ Advance Media that it ‘just wasn’t stopped.’
The fix-it-yourselves approach by the NJSIAA is not new, and in an interesting twist, was used in addressing a 2013 conflict that largely led to the creation of the NJSIAA’s biased-language policies that were allegedly violated in this conflict.
Following a 2013 Thanksgiving football game during which Bergen Catholic fans allegedly used racial slurs towards Paramus Catholic coaches and players, including likely 2017 NFL draftee Jabrill Peppers, Paramus Catholic president Jim Vail met with officials from Bergen Catholic and the two sides decided that Bergen Catholic handle the incident internally.
The Bergen Catholic-Paramus Catholic incident sparked the NJSIAA to institute a ban on biased-language at sporting events, as well as announcements about such language read to players and fans prior to every game in every sport.
That policy states that the NJSIAA shares reports regarding race, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability or sexual orientation with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights in the Attorney General’s Office.
The NJSIAA has followed that policy in the Jefferson-Dover situation and shared reports from both schools with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights in the Attorney General’s Office.
FULL STATEMENT
“There is no place in interscholastic sports for any individual associated with a member school, be they a spectator, student-athlete, or staff member, who engages in harassing verbal or physical conduct related to race, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or religion. NJSIAA’s policies – which were among the first in the nation of their type – clearly outline expectations and punishments. They also detail the association’s ongoing training programs and communication protocols that provide a framework for addressing such issues.
“The NJSIAA was alerted to a situation involving Jefferson Township and Dover high schools. Reports on the matter have been submitted by both schools, and the association has shared these with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights in the Attorney General¹s Office.
“The schools have been instructed to meet and come forward with appropriate action plans to satisfy both the letter and spirit of the NJSIAA sportsmanship policy. If they are unable to fulfill that obligation, the matter will go to the controversies committee of their own conference, the New Jersey Athletic Conference. If necessary, NJSIAA will convene its controversies committee, which will intercede as necessary.
“Frankly, given the fan culture at the professional and even college level, it’s a constant battle to reinforce that high school athletics, while entertaining, are not entertainment. Rather, they’re an extension of the classroom. Adults – administrators, coaches, officials, teachers, parents, and journalists – need to be mindful of the distinctions between the different levels of sport.”
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