High school coach fired after players use anti-Semitic play calls

Duxbury, Massachusetts —  A Massachusetts high school fired its successful football coach and hired an outside consultant Wednesday to assist an investigation into reports that the team used anti-Semitic language, including a mention of Auschwitz, in its on-field play calling during a recent game.

"The outrage is real, warranted, and we hear it," Duxbury High School's administration said in an emailed statement. "The fact that members of our school community used such offensive language, including anti-Semitic language, is horrifying and disappointing."

In response, the school has "severed ties" with head coach Dave Maimaron and canceled this Friday's game against Hingham, said the statement, signed by four members of the administration, including district Superintendent John Antonucci.

A decision about subsequent games will be made later, CBS Boston reports.

Maimaron, a special needs teacher at the school, was placed on paid administrative leave from his teaching position pending further investigation.

The district has also hired Edward Mitnick of Just Training Solutions LLC to assist in the investigation. Mitnick is an attorney and investigator with 30 years' experience in such matters.

"We know from many conversations, emails, and online posts that many people want action now, and we appreciate that sentiment. However, we are still in the middle of an active investigation and it is important that we get accurate information and facts in this case," the statement said.

The announcement came the day after Robert Trestan, president of the New England Anti-Defamation League, called for an independent investigation. Trestan said he was told by Antonucci that the words "rabbi" and "dreidel" were also used in Duxbury's March 12 game against Plymouth North. Plymouth school officials alerted Duxbury about the matter.

"It's deeply hurtful to the Jewish community to learn that the plays somehow connect to the Holocaust and Judaism," Trestan said. "This is a really serious situation. There are indications of a systemic failure both on and off the field."

The insensitive words weren't directed at the opposing team or at a particular player, Antonucci said.

Maimaron had released a statement this week in which he apologized.

"On behalf of the staff and players of the Duxbury High School football team, I want to extend my apology for the insensitive, crass and inappropriate language used in the game on March 12th," he said. He called the language "careless, unnecessary and most importantly hurtful on its face - inexcusable."

State Senator Barry Finegold, who is Jewish and played football in high school and college, reached out to the team, offering to educate them on the history of the word, CBS Boston says.

"I don't know how a coach would allow this to happen. To me, it's a lack of respect for Jewish culture, the Jewish religion, it's just very surprising," Finegold said. "When someone says 'Auschwitz,' I don't think these young people understand how harmful and hurtful that is to people that are Jewish."

Massachusetts high school football is being played in the spring this year because the coronavirus pandemic caused postponement of the fall season.

Duxbury in recent years has been one of the state's most successful teams, with five state championships since 2005. The affluent coastal community about 30 miles south of Boston has nearly 16,000 residents, according to the Census Bureau.

Duxbury residents are beside themselves, CBS Boston observes, and a local group called Duxbury For All says there's a lot of work to be done. "This is really a pretty nice town and our hope is to make this a more diverse and inclusive place," said Bruce Rutter of Duxbury For All.