COLCHESTER, Conn. — A track coach at William J. Johnson Middle School in Colchester has stepped down after allegedly making a racist remark at a meet on Monday.
According to a release from Colchester Public Schools on Thursday, the Colchester middle school was participating in a meet with Beman Middle School of Middletown when the Colchester coach interacted with members of the Beman team, who were signing the song “Faneto,” by Chief Keef, as was revealed by a preliminary investigation.
The song’s chorus starts with the line "I'm a gorilla." Thinking that the Beman students were playfully interacting with her, the coach responded by saying, “You are,” intending it to be a question, according to the release from the school district.
A release from the Connecticut Parents Union said the coach directed her comment in the direction of a sixth-grade African-American student at Beman.
Colchester Public Schools said the coach didn’t realize anyone was offended and would have immediately spoken to the Beman coach and apologized to the student-athletes if she was aware.
In the release, Colchester Superintendent of Schools Daniel Sullivan said the district is committed to working with the coach and all members of the school community relative to implicit bias to ensure that the district is a champion of safety and inclusivity for all.
“Our coach has made it clear that she feels terrible that a student and her family are hurt by the interaction at the meet. Further, she has decided to step down as a coach. She indicates that coaching is about kids, and the spotlight should always be on the student-athletes and not the coach,” Sullivan said.
The district said the student-athletes on the Colchester middle school track team will have adequate support to finish their season and that the school system is dedicated to cultivating a school environment where every student feels accepted, connected, and prepared to learn.
Noting in the release that “racial slurs have no place in Connecticut public schools or school sports,” the Connecticut Parents Union, along with students, parents, and local community leaders, held a press conference on Thursday afternoon at the Middletown Board of Education on Hunting Hill Avenue.
The press conference, scheduled for 4 p.m., served to demand the removal of the coach involved. Colchester Public Schools issued their release announcing the coach was stepping down at that same time.
“We, as veterans, have fought for many years not to only keep our country safe and free, but also to ensure that every child does not have to face the same tragedies, including racism, that I faced when I joined the Armed Forces in the 1960s, David Roane, a USMC Veteran, said in the release from the Connecticut Parents Union.
The release said that school safety and ensuring a welcoming educational environment is a shared responsibility and that adults employed within the public school system should be held to the same standards of accountability as students, parents, and families.
In the Colchester Public Schools release, the district noted that it firmly upholds equity, diversity, and inclusion as core principles within the school district, guaranteeing access for all.
“We stand in solidarity, honoring individuals of every background and identity, embracing diversity in races, socio-economic statuses, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, nationalities, and abilities. We will use this experience as a teachable moment for all our staff and apologize to anyone that was impacted by this event,” the Colchester Public Schools release said.
Colchester Public Schools said it would not field any additional questions regarding the incident unless new information is brought to light.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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