Pearl River student athletes accused of using racial slurs against Nyack students for second time in a month
PEARL RIVER, N.Y. -- The NAACP is asking the New York state Division of Human Rights to get involved after more alleged racial taunting of student athletes in Rockland County.
"It's unbearable. It's just something that we should not have to tolerate after all these years of fighting for civil rights," Rockland NAACP leader Wilbur Aldridge said.
He tells CBS2's Tony Aiello it's a troubling situation.
Athletes from Pearl River Middle School allegedly used the N word on two occasions this month while competing with Black students from the much more diverse Nyack schools, including last week at a track meet.
"Our students actually informed our coaches, and our coaches immediately did the most bravest thing which was to remove our children from an unsafe environment," Nyack Superintendent Eudes Budhai said.
Budhai says the coaches' concern level was already high after the February racial taunting by Pearl River fans against Nyack High School, which led a sports governing body to sanction Pearl River High School.
The Office of Section One released a statement:
"On behalf of its member schools, Section One is alarmed and deeply concerned by the repeated actions of hate and discrimination that have been reported. It is the expectation of all of our member schools that they provide a welcoming and affirming environment for all student-athletes, coaches, and staff.
"Section One firmly believes that the values inherent throughout a student's athletic experience can only exist in settings absent of discrimination and hate. Section One supports the NYSPHSAA sportsmanship statement and will not tolerate negative statements or actions between opposing players, including racial or discriminatory comments and slurs.
"When an incident of bias occurs, it is the Section's expectation that districts conduct a prompt and thorough investigation. It is the responsibility of the school district administration to take prompt action consistent with the district's code of conduct, with a defined goal of ending discrimination and establishing a more positive school culture.
"The Section One Athletic Council and Executive Committee will continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to support both the Nyack and Pearl River School Districts. Incidents such as these underscore the importance of our ongoing development of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and initiatives, including the implementation of educational opportunities for all of our member schools."
While some in Pearl River push back on the idea the district has a problem, Superintendent Marco Pochintesta released a strongly worded statement, saying in part, "We have zero tolerance for such hateful thinking ... These offensive actions have led to serious consequences for those responsible."
Leaders in Nyack want to see concrete steps in Pearl River to foster an environment of tolerance and respect among students.
"We can't allow this to keep happening. It's not safe for our kids, and it's not good for the kids that are using the words," Nyack Mayor Donald Hammond said.
"You know, racism still exists, and ... we should be teaching our children, our students to build bridges with each other," village trustee candidate Pascale Jean-Gilles said.
Nyack is determined to protect its students from racism, holding out the possibility that there may be no more games between the two teams for the time being.
"We will request that we not play them until there is some remedy and some action that we can see is going to make some changes," Budhai said.
Pearl River says an equity task force is being formed and will get to work soon.
