Racial Incident At Haddonfield High School Investigated

HADDONFIELD, NJ — A racial incident during a May 10 baseball game between Haddonfield Memorial High School and West Deptford High School is under investigation by the Haddonfield School District, the district said Wednesday.

The district did not release details of the incident.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that a white member of the Haddonfield High School baseball team made "monkey sounds" at a Black player on the West Deptford baseball team.

The player who made the noises and an assistant junior varsity coach were suspended pending the outcome of the investigation, the Inquirer reported. None of those involved were identified.

If true, the student's act may violate Haddonfield School District policy 5512, which covers harassment, intimidation and bullying, as well as the Haddonfield School District Athletic Department Handbook, the district said in a statement.

The Haddonfield School District does not tolerate such actions, Superintendent Charles Klaus said at a school board meeting Thursday evening.

"When we have hurtful things happening in our community, especially with race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, that's a real fall. It's not acceptable, and it has to be owned," he said.

Moving forward, the district will create a task force consisting of parents, students, administrators, counselors, teachers, coaches and members of the community to prevent future such incidents and assist victims of such incidents, Klaus said.

West Deptford School Superintendent Greg Cappello did not immediately return Patch's request seeking comment.

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