Football Players Told To Taunt Maine Student With 2 Moms: Reports

YARMOUTH, MAINE — A high school football coach in Maine has been benched after he was accused of telling players to harass an opposing team’s quarterback who has two mothers with taunts of “who’s your daddy?” every time they tackled him. Gray-New Gloucester Coach Duane Greaton is no longer with the district, school officials have confirmed.

The married parents of the Yarmouth High School student, Lynn and Stephanie Eckersley-Ray, said several players on the Gray-New Gloucester football team complained to officials at their school, according to media reports. Referees were alerted to the potential the quarterback might be bullied moments before the game started, and it went on as scheduled, with Greaton coaching the game, the reports said. No harassment was reported.

Watch: Football Players Told To Taunt Maine Student With 2 Moms: Reports

It’s unclear if Greaton was fired or if he resigned, the Associated Press reported. (For more news like this, subscribe to Portland Patch for real-time breaking news alerts and free morning newsletters, or find your local Maine Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

In a statement to WMTW-TV, Maine School Administrative District 15 Superintendent Craig King said he wasn’t allowed to discuss personnel matters, but the allegations were taken seriously by school officials.

“MSAD 15 takes concerns about the safety and security of students very seriously, and does not tolerate threatening or discriminatory behavior,” King said.

The Eckersley-Rays told the Portland Press-Herald they were “appalled” by the proposed taunt, which they said was “incredibly discriminatory and hate-laden in nature.”

Photo via Shutterstock