2nd Incident in Westchester-Who to Believe?
An unidentified player on the East Ramapo Girls HS Basketball team, from a social media video in which she says that racial slurs were made against her team. https://www.facebook.com/100076257039150/videos/770528514987206
By Dan Murphy
A Feb. 10 girls basketball game between Scarsdale High School and East Ramapo High School at Scarsdale was forfeited by Ramapo, who walked off the court after at least one of its players heard a racial slur from a spectator. However, an investigation by the Scarsdale School district found no evidence of the racist comments alleged, with Scarsdale Superintendent Drew Patrick stating that his investigation determined “we do not believe that there were any remarks or statements made.” Said Patrick in an email to the Journal News. There has been no comment officially from the district.
But East Ramapo Superintendent Clarence Ellis said, “The girls varsity basketball game on Saturday between East Ramapo and Scarsdale was regrettably marred by the report of racial slurs directed at East Ramapo players.”
The Athletic Directors from Scarsdale and East Ramapo are conducting their own investigation. “So far, this review has not identified a specific individual or group who engaged in any inappropriate conduct,” said Scarsdale AD Ray Papalardi and East Ramapo AD Greg Russo. “Despite the absence of specific information, we view any act against the dignity of any student-athlete as unacceptable. I know that the Scarsdale and East Ramapo communities join us in denouncing all acts of hate.”
A member of the East Ramapo Girls Basketball team, Dejane Buckley, who was at the game, told the Journal News. “Our coach realized that from the stands they were saying ‘Black N-words’.” Buckley added that the coach had called a timeout to address the issue.
Several parent groups and supporters from East Ramapo have posted a video of one of the players. The player is not identified but clearly states that she heard comments made at the game.
But reporting from Scarsdale 10583 tells another side of this story. A Scarsdale resident and parent of one of the players said that no slurs were made, that there were only a dozen spectators, and that the referee had called the game.
Section 1-NY Athletics, which has oversight with both teams, said that they would also conduct a review. We would hope that one of the ongoing investigations would ask if there were no comments made, why was the game called and cancelled. And did the referee have anything to do with it?
There have been two other similar incidents, or alleged incidents at Westchester High Schools this school year. Last month, a Yonkers Roosevelt High School game against the Leffell School had allegations of antisemitic slurs made against the Leffell players.
Investigations by the City of Yonkers, and a lengthy letter by a player outlining what happened and what was said, support this accusation. But an investigation by the Yonkers NAACP found no evidence of any comments.
In October of 2023, spectators at a Lakeland High School basketball game made slurs against the Nyack High School cheerleaders.
Congressman Jamaal Bowman said, “There is no place for racism or hatred of any kind on the court, in our schools, or any other place in our society. The reports of racial slurs at last weekend’s basketball game are unacceptable. My team and I will continue to follow the situation and await the conclusion of the ongoing investigation. It is our responsibility as parents and educators to teach against hate and center love so our children can do better.
“Sports are a refuge for many students, and a place where kids can come together to build community and understanding with one another. Hatred in all its forms can make sports feel unwelcoming and unsafe. We must work together to ensure that our schools are prepared to be safe environments, combat hatred, and promote peaceful dialogue. The collective work of fighting all forms of hate requires us to tell the truth about our history and society by giving students opportunities to learn accurate, unbiased information about the past and present. It also must include fostering discussion and engagement with diverse peers, perspectives, and cultures. We cannot shy away from the hard work of education, but we must remember and teach the importance of compassion, mutual understanding, and empathy for all communities. This is the only path towards a society that centers peace and our shared humanity,” said Rep. Bowman.
