Superintendent Updates Community on Football Game Allegations
Superintendent Thomas ScariceI would like to provide the community with an update related to the allegations of antisemitism and racism Friday evening at the high school football game between Cheshire High School and Staples High School.
As the community is aware, there were allegations made on social media Friday evening including: antisemitic and racist comments made in the stands, the presence of a Confederate flag, and the waving of an Israeli flag. Since that time, it has been the voices of individual students throughout this investigation that have given us a clearer picture of events and a constructive plan to move forward.
Process to Determine Findings
School administrators and law enforcement from both Cheshire and Westport immediately commenced investigations. From the outset, the Anti-Defamation League, through Connecticut Regional Director Steve Ginsburg, instantly offered and provided their support to both communities.
Over the past five days, the town’s respective athletic directors, high school principals, First Selectmen, and police chiefs communicated directly with each other. I have spoken to the Cheshire Superintendent nearly every day since last Friday.
The Cheshire Public Schools administration and police departments have shared their findings with our administration as a result of their interviews with eyewitnesses, including the two students who brought the Israeli flag to the game. Seven Staples Cheer Team students were interviewed by Staples Principal Stafford Thomas, as well as a student of color who was the recipient of disgusting racial slurs via social media.
Along with Chief Koskinas, First Selectman Jim Marpe, and Steve Ginsburg, I had the opportunity to meet with Westport area Rabbis and Jewish communal leaders on Monday, as well as a group of Westport community Black leaders yesterday. This proved to be critically important as Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn of The Conservative Synagogue followed up by speaking directly to Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Scolnic of Temple Beth Shalom in Hamden who knows the students who brought and waved the Israeli flag.
Finally, the time between last Friday night and today provided Westport community members the opportunity to share any eyewitness accounts, as well as their thoughts and concerns.
From the beginning, the Westport Public Schools was fully committed to finishing our investigation by speaking with every student or community member personally impacted by these events. The process was thorough and comprehensive and I am confident that we have clarity on what happened Friday night, as well as a constructive plan to move forward.
Findings
An Israeli flag was waved throughout much of the game Friday night by two Cheshire students, particularly when Cheshire scored or Staples committed a penalty. After halftime, members of our Cheer team approached the Cheshire Police to ask that the Israeli flag be taken down. Although the Cheshire Police and administration confirm they directed the students to take the flag down, there are Staples student reports of the flag waving later in the game.
After the game, the social media account, “Wreckers SuperFans”, and the Staples Cheer team, posted an image on Instagram of the Israeli flag waving in the Cheshire student section with a message about anti-Semitic and racist remarks and insulting chants throughout the game, as well as the waving of the Confederate flag.
Both school administrations confirmed that chants of “Daddy’s money” were directed at Staples students and players. This was not done in unison with the waving of the Israeli flag. Racist or anti-Semitic chants, were not corroborated. There is no corroboration of the presence or sighting of a Confederate flag.
The Staples and Cheshire “SuperFans” respectfully communicated late Friday evening through social media and the “Wreckers SuperFans” took down the post following that discussion. The Cheer team post was taken down following a communication with the Staples Cheer coach.
Saturday morning, a Staples student of color, who was not at the game, posted a comment on a friend’s Instagram responding to the earlier post about the game. He posted, “The audacity”. What transpired in response was a series of horrific and unspeakable racial slurs directed towards this Staples student. The source of the slurs was an untraceable “burner” account, which is a social media account used to post anonymously to avoid having posts traced. This is most disturbing and we offered to provide support for this student.
In the investigation, the Cheshire administration shared that the two students who waved the Israeli flag are Jewish and that they brought the flag to the game because it was a school spirit “Red, White & Blue Nite” in the student section. In response to doubts about this claim, in my meeting with the Westport area rabbis and Jewish communal leaders on Monday, Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn of The Conservative Synagogue offered to speak directly to the Rabbi of Temple Beth David in Cheshire to offer his services in resolving this matter.
Rabbi Wiederhorn was referred to Temple Beth Shalom in Hamden, where the two boys worship, and spoke directly to Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Scolnic. Rabbi Scolnic shared that he has known the boys their entire lives, that he knows them very well, that they are not mean-spirited, and that they are very proud Jews. Rabbi Scolnic is completely confident that there was no malice or anti-Semitism intended and that unfortunately these accusations have mischaracterized the two boys.
Based on feedback from the Cheshire administration, the Cheshire police department, the Westport area Rabbis and Jewish communal leaders, Rabbi Scolnic, and our partners with the ADL, I have no reason to question these conclusions.
Further Context
High school sporting events can be raucous and intense. The school spirit from these events can be palpable. However, for visiting teams, these types of events can be intimidating. Traditionally, in high school sports, the goal of the fan section is to vigorously cheer for the home team while, at times, taunting and making the visiting team uncomfortable.
Some members of our community have questioned the intent of the waving of the Israeli flag. In fairness, our Staples athletes and fans have experienced anti-Semitism at athletic events in the past. Westport has a considerable Jewish community, and approximately one-third of the Cheer team is Jewish.
The waving of the Israeli flag at a high school sporting event played against a town with a considerable Jewish population is peculiar. It is not necessarily right or wrong, but in my 25+ years in education, I have never witnessed the Israeli flag, or any other national flag except the U.S. flag, waved at a high school sports event.
The series of events, the history of anti-Semitism directed towards our students, the peculiarity of the waving of the Israeli flag at a football game, along with the intensity of the night, contributed to a considerable sense of threat on the part of Staples students. It is critically important to affirm the impact of the night on our students and to support them as we constructively move forward, and to meaningfully learn from these events.
Again, I have no reason to question the conclusions of the Cheshire administration, the Cheshire police department, the Westport area Rabbis and Jewish communal leaders, Rabbi Scolnic of Temple Beth Shalom, and our partners with the ADL.
However, it is important to note again that heinous, racist, untraceable messages were indeed sent through social media to a Staples student of color in the aftermath of this game. These messages have been turned over to the police and we will continue to offer support to this student.
Constructively Moving Forward
In discussions with Cheshire Superintendent, Dr. Jeff Solan, and with valuable feedback from the Staples Cheer team parents and Connecticut Regional Director of the ADL, Steve Ginsburg, Dr. Solan and I will offer an invitation to the Cheshire and Staples students involved to convene, facilitated by the ADL, so that amends can be made and appropriate closure can be provided to both groups of students. In dealing with young adults, there are opportunities for learning experiences in events such as these.
Finally, we invite all of the students involved to participate together in the "Walk Against Hate" on October 10th in Hartford.
The administration is committed to encouraging and supporting students who come forward with concerns about how they, or others, are treated. Going forward, the district will clarify the reporting process for students with concerns at athletic events and extracurricular activities.
Again, it is critical that the community understands the level of transparency and thoroughness that we have taken to address this matter. We remain committed to fighting antisemitism and racism in any form.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice, Westport Public Schools
Superintendent: Saugatuck Elementary COVID Cases on the Rise; Full School Testing Friday for All Consenting Families
Superintendent Thomas Scarice Dear Saugatuck Families,
As we have been reporting there has been an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases at SES. As of today, 15 total cases have been identified over the past week. Although there appears to be very limited transmission within the school as new cases span multiple grades and classrooms, by definition, a sudden rise in the number of cases at this rate would constitute an outbreak.
As a proactive measure we have reached out to the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH), including the state epidemiologist, to review the cases and our current mitigating measures. This discussion affirmed that community transmission (i.e. after school activities, large community social events, etc.) has likely contributed to the recent rise in cases at SES. As a result, it appears that in-school mitigating measures have been effective. DPH only recommends school closures if there is an inability to staff the school. This is not an issue at this point in time.
As an additional control measure for early detection, and to blunt any additional spread, it was recommended by CT DPH to offer a round of surveillance testing for all students and staff at SES. Testing will be held Friday October 1 and administered by our testing partner, Progressive Diagnostics.
For parents who have already consented to the voluntary testing program, your child will be included in the testing this Friday. If you have not yet consented to the district voluntary testing program, you are strongly encouraged to complete the “school testing student consent form” on the hyperlink below by the end of the day tomorrow. Additionally, the “school testing” link below will provide information about the district voluntary testing program.
If you would ONLY like to take part in the testing offered this Friday and NOT the weekly screening, please email the health office staff so that your name can be removed after the Friday testing.
School Testing Student Consent Form
I would like to thank you for your support as we work together to keep our children and community safe.
Sincerely,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent: 11 New COVID-19 Cases in District over Weekend; 7 Reported at Saugatuck El.
From Superintendent Thomas ScariceDear Westport Families and Staff,
We have had 11 new cases of Covid-19 associated with our schools reported over the weekend. The positive cases came from the following schools.
Coleytown Elementary School - 1
Greens Farms Elementary School - 2
Saugatuck Elementary School - 7
Staples High School - 1
Please remember that families are asked to report positive Covid-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.
Additionally, we want to remind families that students with pending Covid-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us minimize the potential for transmission in our schools.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent Provides Update on Anti-Semitic/Racist Incident Allegations during Football Game
From Superintendent Thomas ScariceDear Westport Families and Staff,
I would like to provide the community with an update related to the allegations of antisemitic and racist incidents Friday evening at the high school football game between Cheshire High School and Staples High School.
As the community is aware, there were allegations made on social media Friday evening including: antisemitic and racist comments made in the stands, the presence of a Confederate flag, and the waving of an Israeli flag. School administrators and law enforcement from both Cheshire and Westport immediately commenced investigations.
Because of the rise in reports of antisemitic and racist incidents, we also immediately sought input from the Anti-Defamation League office in Connecticut. ADL works with schools and law enforcement to help ensure incidents are addressed appropriately.
The Cheshire Public Schools administration and the Cheshire Police Department have been most collaborative and in constant communication with our administration and police department, sharing information and supporting each other’s investigation. We are most grateful for this cooperation.
Today, we were informed by Cheshire Superintendent, Jeff Solan and Chief of Police, Neil Dryfe, that their investigation has determined that the Israeli flag was not intended to intimidate Jewish people or motivated by antisemitism. Police reports indicate that the students who brought and waved the flag are Jewish and have shared that they brought the flag to the game because it was a school spirit “Red, White & Blue Nite” in the student section.
At this point in the ongoing investigation - which includes the review of photos, video, and interviews with numerous students, staff, and police officers – there is no corroborating evidence to substantiate the presence of a Confederate flag.
Additionally, we were informed by the Cheshire Superintendent and Police Chief that when Staples High School cheerleaders observed students in the stands waving an Israeli flag, and made a complaint to a Cheshire Police Officer; the officer informed the Cheshire High School Administration and an administrator directed the students holding the Israeli flag to put it away. Fortunately the use of police body cams have confirmed this finding.
That said, the Westport Public Schools is fully committed to finishing our investigation by speaking with every student or community member personally impacted by these events. We will listen to each first person eyewitness account of these events and will reserve actions before concluding our investigation. Receiving this information from our Cheshire colleagues is helpful, yet we must fulfill our obligations to listen to each and every account. The administration will continue these efforts and provide ongoing updates to the community.
It is critical that the community understands the level of transparency and thoroughness that we have taken.
The Westport Public Schools, and ADL, along with the Cheshire Public Schools, remain committed to fighting antisemitism and racism in any form and remain united in that effort. School administrators will be available to discuss this situation with any students who wish to do so. We are continuing to gather facts from eyewitnesses, so please allow us the time needed to fully assess what occurred and determine the appropriate response. Please contact us if you have relevant information.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent
Westport Public Schools
Seven Seniors Named as National Merit Semifinalists
Staples High School is proud to announce that seven members of the Class of 2022 who have qualified as National Merit Scholarship Corporation semifinalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
The Staples High School semifinalists are: Emma Alcyone, Natalie Bandura,
Zachary Bishop, Michael Brody, Chloe Nevas, Maxwell Tanksley and Julian Weng
Nationwide, approximately 16,000 semifinalists -- fewer than 1 percent of the over 1.5 million students who took the 2020 PSAT/NMSQT qualifying exam --will compete for 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million.
Staples High School Principal Stafford Thomas Jr. praised the achievements of these students, saying “It is an extraordinary honor for these students to be recognized for their academic abilities, and an honor for our school because each of these students demonstrate talents and passions beyond academics every day, making them wonderful representatives of the Westport Public Schools.”
Niche Names Staples #1 High School in the State; Westport #28 School District in the Country
Staples’ Grades from Niche for 2022Niche, an online database of schools and communities, rated Staples High School as the #1 public high school in Connecticut and #103 in the United States, while the Westport School District as a whole was noted as #28 in the Country. Staples received A or A+ grades for all areas except Diversity, where it was given a B-.
Westport Elementary schools were rated in the State as:
#4: Greens Farms Elementary School
#5: Coleytown Elementary School
#7: Long Lots Elementary School
#8: Kings Highway Elementary School
#10: Saugatuck Elementary School
Bedford Middle School was rated as #2 in the State and #133 in the United States. Coleytown Middle School was not yet listed.
Niche grades all of the schools and districts in their surveys and studies based on academics, staffing, social life and other factors - with data being pulled from SAT and ACT scores, student, parents, and staff surveys, and community demographics and safety profiles.
The #1 high school in the country was The Davidson Academy based in Reno, Nevada. Behind Staples in Connecticut was New Canaan High school.
Superintendent: 9 New Cases in District since Saturday
Dear Westport Families and Staff,
As mentioned in prior emails, we would move from weekly updates of new positive cases of Covid-19 to more frequent updates as needed. This evening we are providing an update from the past five days. We will move to daily updates during the week to ensure timely information is received by the community. The news cases reported since Saturday all went through a thorough contact tracing protocol which allowed for limited quarantining of students.
We have 9 newly confirmed cases of Covid-19 from Saturday through today. The reports came from the following schools:
Stepping Stones Preschool - 1
Greens Farms Elementary School - 3
Kings Highway Elementary School - 1
Saugatuck Elementary School - 1
Bedford Middle School - 3
Please remember that families are asked to report positive Covid-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.
Additionally, we want to remind families that students with pending Covid-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us minimize the potential for transmission in our schools.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent: 3 New COVID-19 Cases in 3 Schools
From Superintendent Thomas Scarice:Dear Westport Families and Staff,
Similar to this past school year, it is our intention to remain transparent with reports of positive Covid-19 cases associated with our schools. We will provide weekly updates unless additional reporting becomes necessary.
As of the time I am writing to you this afternoon, we have 3 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 from yesterday and today. The reports came from the following schools:
Greens Farms Elementary School - 1
Saugatuck Elementary School - 1
Coleytown Middle School- 1
Please remember that families are asked to report positive Covid-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.
Additionally, we want to remind families that students with pending Covid-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us minimize the potential for transmission in our schools.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice, Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent says Schools Experienced Minor Flooding, “we are fortunate that this did not impact our capability of holding school today”
From Superintendent Tom ScariceGood morning,
Following historic rainfalls, we are ready to safely open schools. Some of our schools experienced water incursion for a variety of reasons and we are working to determine the sources so that they can be addressed. In some cases, the water entered the schools as a result of ground penetration, and in other cases the roof drains were simply inundated with an unprecedented volume of water in a short period of time. In any case, we are working to address the areas so that they are treated appropriately.
Where impacted, building principals will follow up with their school communities with additional information related to their facilities. Some offices and areas will be offline for a short period of time. However, we are fortunate that this did not impact our capability of holding school today.
Sincerely,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent
Happy First Day of School, Westport!
As our community heads into another school year amidst a pandemic, educators and administrators are more confident than ever on how to support children best while managing safety and health protocols. And - a rarity: many students are excited to head back into their school buildings today as they inch closer and closer to a sense of normalcy throughout their lives, like Superintendent Tom Scarice said last night “We took a step towards normalcy, but not a complete step.”