School fires coach after anti-Semitic play calls

Duxbury, Mass. — A Massachusetts high school fired its successful football coach and hired an outside consultant Wednesday to assist an investigation into reports that the team used anti-Semitic language, including a mention of Auschwitz, in its on-field play calling during a recent game.

“The outrage is real, warranted, and we hear it,” Duxbury High School’s administration said in an emailed statement. “The fact that members of our school community used such offensive language, including anti-Semitic language, is horrifying and disappointing.”

In response, the school has “severed ties” with head coach Dave Maimaron and canceled this Friday’s game against Hingham, said the statement, signed by four members of the administration, including district Superintendent John Antonucci.

The district has also hired Edward Mitnick of Just Training Solutions LLC to assist in the investigation. Mitnick is an attorney and investigator with 30 years’ experience in such matters.

“We know from many conversations, emails, and online posts that many people want action now, and we appreciate that sentiment. However, we are still in the middle of an active investigation and it is important that we get accurate information and facts in this case,” the statement said.

The announcement came the day after Robert Trestan, president of the New England Anti-Defamation League, called for an independent investigation. Trestan said he was told by Antonucci that the words “rabbi” and “dreidel” were also used in Duxbury’s March 12 game against Plymouth North. Plymouth school officials alerted Duxbury about the matter.

“It’s deeply hurtful to the Jewish community to learn that the plays somehow connect to the Holocaust and Judaism,” Trestan said. “This is a really serious situation. There are indications of a systemic failure both on and off the field.”