One kid's trash is another kid's...

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

No. It would depend upon what the kid said to the opponent and even then it's not as though the kid is going off to jail or being sued for a civil rights violation. If the comments were related to race, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or religion there could be issues. If the comment was about someone's mother or their opponent's inability to guard them, then it's business as usual.

AFAIC, it should be business as usual either way. 15 year olds don't need this stuff showing up on a permanent record in 10 years. Deal with the issue, teach the lessons that can be taught on the field/court. Sending them through the legal system is ridiculous, IMO.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by Adam

AFAIC, it should be business as usual either way. 15 year olds don't need this stuff showing up on a permanent record in 10 years. Deal with the issue, teach the lessons that can be taught on the field/court. Sending them through the legal system is ridiculous, IMO.

I'm not saying I agree with how it's being handled I'm just trying to explain it as best as I understand what's going on. Interestingly, NJSIAA's officials' handbook already had something about situations like this:

In addition to the NJSIAA disciplinary action, any violations of our sportsmanship rule, including, but not limited to disqualifications in the area of racial, ethnic, gender bias, will result in the NJSIAA contacting and working directly with the Conference and Community Agency (Human Rights/Civil Rights Group) which focuses in on this important aspect of social behavior as it relates to athletics.

I can't seem to find anything specific from this past season that prompted a change to take situations out of the hands of the CCA and put them into the hands of the AG office's Civil Rights division. My guess is the situations at Rutgers over past few years - both athletic (Mike Rice) and non-athletic (Tyler Clementi) - had more than a little to do with it.