Talking trash won’t be considered just harmless fun anymore. At least not in New Jersey.
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, the governing body for high school sports, announced, in conjunction with the state Attorney General’s office, a new policy that would penalize teams and players for trash talk. An athlete could even find himself investigated by the state Civil Rights Division if he goes too far on the field or court.
The new rules, which are in line with New Jersey’s anti-bullying law for schools, go into place this fall.
Players could be in trouble if they make harassing statements related to gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or religion. Referees would also be required to report incidents for possible further investigation.
“High school sports enhances and supports education,” NJSIAA executive director Steven J. Timko said. “Obscene gestures, profanity or unduly provocative language or action toward officials, opponents, or spectators won’t be tolerated in the classroom or the field of play.”
A top administrator from New York’s Catholic High School Athletic Association says New Jersey’s new initiative “seems like an overreaction.”
“Anything that takes away bullying is wonderful,” CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens president Ray Nash said. “But we haven’t discussed this. … Unsportsmanlike conduct on the field in any sport should be dealt with by coaches and officials. Every time a kid trash talks there will be severe penalties? I don’t know.”
Thomas Jefferson boys basketball coach Lawrence Pollard says those rules would be hard to enforce in the Public Schools Athletic League.
“You would see a lot of technicals, a lot of ejections, because one thing about New York is there’s a lot of friendly rivalries, so many schools close together and guys living in the same neighborhoods and projects,” Pollard said.
Lincoln star Thomas Holley, an All-American defensive end and forward on the basketball team, says “it’s sports – there’s always going to be trash talking, no matter what.”
“Trash talking has been around forever,” he said. “To try to get rid of it now, it doesn’t make any sense.”
New York City Department of Education spokesperson Margie Feinberg says the PSAL “has rules against inappropriate language.”
“Players can be penalized for misbehaving,” she said. “Also, the Department of Education has a discipline code of conduct which includes infractions for using abusive or discriminatory language.”
New Jersey’s policy was developed with the support of the Coalition for Racial Equality in Education, a group of organizations seeking to foster equality and combat discrimination in education.
“High school sports should be about building character and instilling life lessons about grace, courage, teamwork, and adversity,” New Jersey Attorney General John J. Hoffman said. “Sometimes, we lose sight of those lessons on the field and in the stands.”
With AP