Anti-Semitic Slurs Chanted in Framingham High Locker Room

FRAMINGHAM, MA - An anti-semitic incident happened in the locker room at Framingham High, as students reportedly chanted anti-semitic language before the Thanksgiving football game between Natick vs Framingham.

At least one Jewish football player was in the locker room at the time.

The incident occurred before the players were bused to Natick, after their team breakfast at the Framingham Elks Lodge. About 20 players were in the locker room during the incident. Other players were in the gym or already on the bus.

An advisor to Framingham High’s Jewish student union notified school administration about the incident days later, said Framingham High School Principal Elyse Torbert, yesterday to Framingham Patch.

No players have been disciplined as of Monday, Dec. 14.

Framingham High Interim Athletic Director Ron Sudmyer held an “educational event” for those involved on Friday.

Head football coach Gary Doherty, his staff, and the players involved have been spoken to, said Torbert.

The players have been educated to the “ramifications of using that kind of language,” Torbert said. “It is important for players to have respect for each other.”

The coaches were not in the locker room, when what some players described as ”chants” began. About 20 players were in the locker room, including the football player, who is Jewish, when the chants became anti-semitic.

But the coaches learned about the incident that same day, according to football players Framingham Patch spoke to this weekend.

The principal said the players were friends before they walked into the locker room, but not afterwards.

Sudmyer said “the incident has been addressed with the coaches and players and I am confident that this will not happen again.”

Torbert said since the incident happened the interim athletic director has met with the players involved and talked to a few on what it “means to be a team captain.”

She said Sudmeyer also met with the winter sports team captains to explain to them their responsibilities and that they can not “be innocent bystanders,” when incidents like this happen.

She said procedures are also being changed in the athletic department, including the need for a coach to be present in the locker room, so incidents like this don’t happen again.