Haddonfield High School is investigating claims a white baseball team player made ‘monkey sounds’ at an opposing Black pitcher

An allegation that a white Haddonfield Memorial High School boys’ baseball team player taunted a Black player from an opposing team by making racist noises has sparked a district investigation and cast a cloud again over one of South Jersey’s most elite school districts.

The May 10 incident occurred during a junior varsity game between Colonial Conference rivals Haddonfield and West Deptford High School, when a white Haddonfield player made “monkey sounds” while a Black player from West Deptford — the only Black student on the team — was pitching, said West Deptford Superintendent Gregory Cappello.

The game was played in Haddonfield, where a little over 1% of its approximate 12,000 residents are Black.

“We’re really upset. That kind of thing should never happen,” Cappello said Wednesday.

In a statement, the Haddonfield school district said it has launched an investigation into the incident to determine if it violates rules against harassment, intimidation, and bullying. It promised to conduct a “comprehensive and thorough” probe.

”As one can imagine, receiving this news was devastating,” the statement said. “These allegations can be harsh and hit the core of who we are and who we strive to be.”

Cappello said Haddonfield school officials notified his Gloucester County district that the player accused of making the noises has been suspended, along with an assistant junior varsity coach. He did not know the length of the suspension.

Gino R. Priolo, an assistant Haddonfield school superintendent, would not confirm or deny whether disciplinary action was taken. The district said in the statement that it would “hold any and all parties responsible for their actions if confirmed.”

A spokesperson for acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin declined comment on whether the incident has been referred to the state Division on Civil Rights. A spokesperson for the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association said it was aware of the incident and has referred the matter to the state as it did four years ago when a Haddonfield boys’ lacrosse player was accused of calling a Black athlete from another school a racial slur.

“Hate has no place in our state, in our schools, or on our athletic fields,” the spokesperson said.

The allegations sparked a heated debate on social media after a video clip from the baseball game was posted on Facebook and later deleted. Some questioned the veracity of the recording and suggested the monkey sounds could have been dubbed. Many were outraged.

» READ MORE: 'I was in shock': Teen witness of racial incident that suspended Haddonfield boys' lacrosse season

Rebecca Bryan shared the video, which was captured by the pitcher’s mother, and wrote on Facebook that she has sent the video to the town’s Human Rights Commission. Bryan could not be reached for comment. The pitcher’s mother declined to comment for this article.

Bryan’s post sparked mixed reactions, including several from parents who said they were present at the game when the incident occurred. Some said they were disappointed that referees, coaches, other players, and parents did not intervene. Several said the West Deptford player is owed an apology.

Danielle Maguire posted on Facebook that she was at the game and said players make “dog barking” sounds toward opposing pitchers at every game and that upsets her.

“They think they are psyching the other team out,” Maguire wrote. “It’s childish, ineffective and clearly stupid but they were not singling anyone out because of the color of their skin. They are this foolish with everyone.”

Wrote another parent, Lisle Duffey: “My bet is that the majority of the other players were mortified but afraid to tell them to stop. I am working with my own kids on being brave and speaking up when something isn’t right.”

Rosanne Bowers Morison wrote: “Regardless of the intent, someone got hurt.”

Cappello agreed, saying, “It can’t be taken any other way.”

Loretta Winters, president of the Gloucester County chapter of the NAACP, noted that monkey noises were not heard when other West Deptford players were at bat. Haddonfield won the game, 9-3.

“Whether it was done innocently or not … how could you not know that would be offensive?” said Winters. “You need to know the culture.”

Cappello said his district would work with Haddonfield, possibly to hold a joint cultural sensitivity training for both schools. Last year, a Haddonfield player was taunted by a West Deptford athlete, he said. The two schools are not scheduled to play more baseball games against each other this year.

”We’re going to do everything we can to shut it down,” Cappello said. His district is pleased with the response from Haddonfield, he said.

Haddonfield Mayor Colleen Bezich said she planned to work with the police chief to combat racist incidents like the baseball game taunting, as well as recent anti-Semitic incidents. Swastikas were spray-painted on trees in a historic Quaker graveyard and at several other locations.

Haddonfield made national headlines in 2018 after the boys’ lacrosse season was canceled because one of its players was accused of calling a female athlete from Sterling High School the N-word. The girl could not identify the player because he was wearing head gear.

The district’s investigation corroborated the account by the Sterling student and others who heard it, school officials said. When no one would admit to using the slur, the superintendent canceled the season, affecting the entire team.