Sachem schools chief apologizes for offensive signs at game vs. William Floyd
Sachem schools superintendent Patti Trombetta, in a letter Tuesday to the William Floyd High School community, said the signs "do not align with the respect and sportsmanship we expect from our student body, and this behavior will not be tolerated." Credit: Joseph Sperber
The Sachem schools superintendent apologized to the William Floyd community Tuesday after students reportedly displayed offensive signs during a football game.
"As many of you are aware, an incident occurred at our Friday night football game against William Floyd," Superintendent Patti Trombetta wrote in a note to the community.
The messages on the signs, she said, "do not align with the respect and sportsmanship we expect from our student body, and this behavior will not be tolerated. ... As a Sachem community, we sincerely apologize to the William Floyd community for any hurt caused."
Sachem High School North beat William Floyd 35-13 at home in the Sept. 18 game. The New York Post first reported about signs crudely referencing the girlfriends of William Floyd players.
William Floyd parents are expected to attend a Sachem school board meeting Wednesday to express their concerns over the signs, the Post reported.
Trombetta did not say in her letter whether any students had been disciplined but she noted: "It is our responsibility to support our students while holding them accountable for their actions and helping them understand the impact of their choices."
She added, "Moving forward, we will continue to reinforce the vital importance of sportsmanship, respect, and responsibility."
Trombetta did not respond to a voicemail left at her office Wednesday, and a district spokesperson, Chris Vaccaro, wrote in an email that "the district has no additional comment or information to share." A spokesman for the William Floyd district did not respond to requests for comment.
The spectator code of conduct for Section XI, the governing body for interscholastic sports in Suffolk County, encourages "wholesome cheering" but prohibits "taunting, foul and abusive language...disrespectful signs and behavior are not acceptable." Violators are subject to eviction from the game site.
The code also recommends that member districts "communicate with each other... relative to the possible occurrence of a problem" and "follow up in the case of an incident."
Sachem's own code asks spectators to "demonstrate common sense" and attend games not to "intimidate or ridicule, but to support and enjoy the competition."
In a phone interview, Section XI executive director Tom Combs said that he had spoken to athletic directors for both schools but that section officials did not intervene directly, as they would had the incident occurred in a playoff game overseen by the section.
Combs said that school officials at the game responded rapidly, including a Sachem principal who ran into the stands where the signs were displayed.
In general, schools "do a phenomenal job of curtailing negative behavior in a timely manner" and the bad behavior does not appear to be on the rise, he said.
"It happens, unfortunately — we've had rude people all along."
Check back for updates on this developing story.
Nicholas Spangler is a general assignment reporter and has worked at Newsday since 2010.
