An Ohio high school football coach stepped down Monday after his team employed racist and anti-Semitic language to criticize plays during a game in a Jewish suburb of Cleveland last week. Brooklyn High School Coach Tim McFarland, along with his players, repeatedly called out plays using the word “Nazi” as a play call during the game. Beachwood High School, a suburb of Cleveland, is home to about 90 percent Jewish residents, according to the most recent survey of Jewish residents published in 2011 by The Jewish Federation of Cleveland, making it the second-largest Jewish community in the country.
The Brooklyn team quit using the term during the second half after Beachwood said they would pull their players off the field if they kept using it, according to a statement from Robert Hardis, the school’s Superintendent. But some of the Brooklyn players kept using racial slurs to Beachwood players, according to the statement. On Monday, McFarland stepped down and apologized in a statement from the school district. The Cleveland Jewish News also reported that local Jewish groups have contacted district officials and they’re willing to work with the school. The offensive plays were first called out by Beachwood coach Scott Fischer at halftime, according to an email from the school’s athletic director. Swipe to know more.
What Happened to Tim McFarland?
In a statement released by Brooklyn Schools Superintendent Ted Kaleris, McFarland expressed his “deepest regret” and apologized on behalf of the school for the “unacceptable and hurtful speech” that would not be tolerated. Caleris also noted that Brooklyn High School had been contacted by the Anti-Defamation League of Ohio and that the school intends to use the incident as a source of guidance in the future. Caleris further stated that the school district was in close contact with the Anti-Defamation League and that Brooklyn had been appropriately concerned and apologized.
In the last few months, we’ve seen anti-semitic taunts at Jewish high school games in Miami and LA. Both were said to have been caused by anti-Semitic or even racist actions by Jewish students. In Sacramento, another high school is looking into allegations that four students posted Nazi-style greetings on social media last month. Anti-Semitism has been on the rise in the US for years, and it’s not looking like it’s going away anytime soon. According to a study from Tel Aviv University and the Anti-Defamation League, there was a 35% increase in anti-Semitic incidents from 2021 to 2022. Stay connected to our site for the latest news updates.
