Coaches Get a Failing Grade for High School Lacrosse Incident

Regarding the recent Ledger article about antisemitic chants being made at a lacrosse game by a Jesuit high school, toward their opponent – a public high school with several Jewish members on the team (“Antisemitic Chants Mar High School Lacrosse Game in Westport,” Jewish Ledger, June 8, 2018):

I take very strong issue with a quote from Rev. Tom Simisky S.J., president of Fairfield Preparatory School, the Jesuit school in question, used in his address to graduates after the above-mentioned event. He stated: “I will not attempt to infer motive of those involved, whether these actions were intended to be hateful, ignorant or otherwise.” Why won’t he attempt to use all of those words to call the incident what it was – derogatory, spiteful and downright totally unacceptable?

Who failed these students from a Jesuit school — the families or the school? Some players may be antisemitic in their thoughts, something that may not be able to be changed, but how was the chanting allowed to go on after the first words were heard? I regret that if the public school coaches knew what was happening, they didn’t walk their team off the field. Why should they play such poor sports? Where were the coaches of the Jesuit team when the words came out?

The only way that a team such as this one can learn that they were part of a hateful act is if other teams refuse to play them for a year or so. I challenge their opposing teams to stand up proudly and consider this action. Otherwise, outside of meaningless words, they will go unpunished.

Susan Juster Viner
Windsor