A girls’ basketball game ended prematurely in an acrimonious dispute reportedly involving overtly antisemitic remarks. However, interviews with more players and attendees reveal the original reporting may not be wholly accurate.
Game over
Last week, a team of female basketball players from a Jewish private school left a game in the third quarter alleging antisemitic slurs lodged against them by the Roosevelt High School home team.
The following day, one player from the Leffell School, Robin Bosworth, penned an article in her local school newspaper describing the incident. Noting unprecedented physical aggression, she also charged her Yonkers’ opponents with hateful speech. The most egregious of which was reported by an Instagram account claiming, “I support HAMAS, you f*ing Jew”
After the incident, Roosevelt High School’s athletic director, Kyle Calabro, and Principal, Edward DeChent, issued apologies. However, national news media picked up the story and further apologies followed. Mayor Mike Spano, Yonkers Public Schools interim Superintendent Dr. Luis Rodriquez, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, and virtually every other elected official echoed similar condemnations. Furthermore, the school district announced it had fired the Roosevelt High School basketball coach and suspended one player.
Watch the full game below
Note that no audio exists in the live-streamed recording.
A possible rush to judgement
In that aftermath, some residents raised concerns with the immediate actions taken in lieu of a full investigation. As only one player’s story had been reported, could there be more, or different, information on exactly what occurred?
Enter Reverend Frank Coleman, President of the Yonkers Branch of the NAACP, who is coincidentally employed at Roosevelt High School himself. He had heard the gossip on Friday, Jan. 5th, following the game the night before. And when the Leffell player’s perspective came to light, Rev. Coleman wanted to know the full context of events. While he acknowledges that the investigation is still underway, he promises that his organization will respond with the “upmost respect and with integrity for all parties involved.” He also recognizes the unique history between the the Black and Jewish people in this country, saying that “our communities have long traditions of organizing that have saved the soul of America.”
Jump to the bottom of this story to read the full statement from the Yonkers NAACP.
The administration reconsiders
On the same day the NAACP became involved in the investigation, the Yonkers Public Schools administration began to look deeper. And now, with more investigating complete, officials believe there is a lack of evidence for some of the antisemitic slurs alleged during that game.
In remarks reported by News12, Interim Superintendent Dr. Luis Rodriguez said, “none of the game managers on the floor heard anything remotely close to what we saw subsequently reported.” Additionally, parent Ayanna Collazo said, “No one in the stands heard any antisemitic remarks, we didn’t hear anything.” In light of this and more, the suspended student will return to school immediately.
However, the fired coach doesn’t appear to be as fortunate yet. In remarks yesterday to the NY Post, he expressed his belief that the administration treated him as a “scapegoat.” He echoed what the district now believes, that the remarks lack corroboration and that, “I personally did not hear any of it on the court.”
Likewise, many students, their families, and community members feel slighted over this incident. Their view is that officials ranging from the school principal all the way to the Governor may have jumped to conclusions. And in their haste, inflicted harm on otherwise innocent students.
They threw our children under the bus.
Crystal Ridley – mother of a RHS player
Even now, many days after the game, some elected officials are still condemning students over remarks that may never have occurred. Moreover, the teenaged students of Roosevelt High continue to suffer racist attacks from strangers all around the country. So, while the exact statements and actions from both the Roosevelt and Leffell School players remain in dispute, many young lives across the county suffered harm regardless.
Yonkers Public Schools states that it wishes to collaborate with the Leffell School on the continued investigation into this matter. They also wish for the student athletes from both teams to come together in-person for a “restorative justice session.”
Read the full statement from the Yonkers NAACP
The Yonkers NAACP has been asked to look into the allegations of antisemitism surrounding the Roosevelt High School ECS girls basketball team. An initial meeting was held today, however, information is still being gathered to present a more comprehensive and accurate report.
It is the position of the Yonkers Branch of the NAACP that statements made in an attempt to address issues of this magnitude, done in haste, can and will lead to misinformation being spread which will cause an even deeper problem for communities in an already politicized and racialize culture. So, in that regard, we stand on the premise that truth is the only way to rid our society of the evils of hatred and bigotry.
We stand with our national organization that “it is now more important than ever for the African American community and the Jewish community to band together in the fight for social justice and civil rights. Our communities have long traditions of organizing that have saved the soul of America. Through hardships and hard-fought campaigns for freedom, we have forced the country to live up to its claim that “all men are created equal.”
“Our current movements against hate and bigotry require the strength found in our diversity. This is a strength that our communities have built in the past century. Jewish and African American activists have founded institutions such as the NAACP, marched for civil and human rights, and called America to consciousness concerning its sins against the marginalized.”
We will, upon completion of a thorough investigation, address this issue with the upmost respect and with integrity for all parties involved.
Rev. Frank E. Coleman, Jr. – President of the Yonkers Branch of NAACP
*Commenting on this article has been preemptively disabled due to the amount of hateful remarks circulating around this story.
*Clarification: a small update has been added to make explicit that the exact “I Support HAMAS” comment came from an Instagram user and not Robin Bosworth’s writing.
