MA Catholic High School Chant to Jewish Opponents: 'You Killed Jesus!'

NEWTON, MA—The basketball game between Newton North High School and Catholic Memorial School in Newton Friday night has everyone talking, but not about the action on the court.

Catholic Memorial School's student section chanted "You Killed Jesus!" in response to a Newton North chant. Newton North has a large jewish population.

Catholic Memorial President Dr. Peter F. Folan issued a statement regarding the chants Saturday.

Catholic Memorial School is deeply disturbed by the behavior of a group of student spectators who made an unacceptable chant Friday night while playing Newton North High School.

CM faculty and staff acted immediately to stop the behavior. Administrators from both schools and representatives from the MIAA discussed the incident. At the conclusion of the game, CM students were reprimanded and each student personally apologized to the Principal of Newton North High School and shook his hand before leaving the arena.

We have been the subject of hurtful chants as well and we will work diligently within our own community and with other schools to end this abhorrent behavior. Catholic Memorial School believes deeply that intolerance, of any kind, is unacceptable. We apologize for the actions of our students and we will continue to strenuously address this issue within our community.

The response from CM students came after Newton North students teased CM's all-male student body with chants of "Sausage fest," according to Newton Superintendent Dr. David Fleishman. Fleishman said he arrived at the game after the chants had been quashed.

Though students from Newton North initiated the taunts, Fleishman said the retort from Catholic Memorial's student section crossed the line.

“I had a parent of one of the players approach me visibly shaken up,” he said.

But Fleishman added he is confident the administration at Catholic Memorial will convey to its students why their reaction was offensive to Newton North fans.

He also said some Catholic Memorial supporters came up to Newton North interim principal Mark Aronson and shook his hand after the game.

The Anti-Defamation League’s New England regional director also addressed the incident.

“We are very concerned why some fans thought this chant was appropriate for a high school basketball game,” Robert Trestan said in a statement. “Hate speech has no place in the stands of any sporting event. We are grateful for the quick intervention by school officials and hope they use this as a teachable moment.”

Fleishman said he will address the incident at a meeting this week.