BEACHWOOD, Ohio — The fallout from Brooklyn High School players using the word "Nazi" in last week's football game against Beachwood continues. City of Beachwood officials are pressing for more accountability, even after Brooklyn's coach resigned.
Hurricanes head coach Tim McFarland stepped down from his position Monday morning after his team was heard repeatedly using the word "Nazi" to call out plays during their game with the Bison last Friday night. 3News asked Brooklyn City Schools' Superintendent Dr. Ted Caleris how long the audible had been in use.
"I will tell you that this has been a play call that the coach had in his playbook for multiple years," Caleris responded. "This is the first time our school district found out that that he was using that."
He told us after McFarland apologized and resigned, the district promoted a longtime assistant coach to be interim head coach.
Beachwood City Councilman Eric Synenberg "commends" the resignation, but believes more should be done.
"First of all, the assistant coaches," he said. "They obviously knew this was going to happen and allowed it to happen. One of them was just promoted to head coach, so is that person really the right person to be in that position now? We really need to make sure before we promote them and allow them to continue to coach our kids into the future that they understand the consequences of this."
He continued on to say there is no overstating the egregiousness of how the word "Nazi" was used, especially in Beachwood, which is about 90% Jewish.
"Our whole community has just been shocked," he expressed. "It's been a punch in the gut to the whole community. However many words there are in the English language, this is probably one of a small handful that you just don't say, and here it was being called out loud to call plays on our home field where our kids are supposed to feel safe and protected."
On Tuesday, WKYC spoke with Caleris again and asked about the assistant coaches being held more accountable.
"Accountability was swiftly and wholly administered in the immediate resignation, and the Brooklyn City Schools' acceptance of this resignation, at the earliest possible juncture." he answered. "The student-athletes deserve a completion to their season, and the district has the full confidence that our assistant coaching staff will successfully and appropriately lead them for the next four weeks. As always, all of our coaching positions are re-evaluated at the conclusion of every season."
Synenberg and Beachwood Council President Alec Issacson are pushing for all involved — whether coach or student-athlete — to be educated properly about the impact of what has happened.
I think that they've started well by accepting the resignation of their football coach," Isaacson said. "That's a good first step, but I think that there needs to be more work with the football program, with the students who are there, to really help them to understand how they may have been miseducated in their practices and how they can understand the hurtful nature of the words that they use and the impact that those words have on Jewish people."
Isaacson further stressed that all who participated should "get educated to understand what the impact and meaning of their behavior really had on society." Caleris says they've already been talking to students.
"The Brooklyn City Schools has already begun its conversations with student-athletes about the gravity of the situation, and the impact that understanding, compassion, and tolerance has among diverse peoples, and the district will continue those conversations as long as necessary," he stated.
He's also been in conversation with Beachwood Schools leadership.
"Superintendent Robert Hardis and myself had a great conversation this afternoon regarding next steps for our students," he told 3News Tuesday. "I am excited to collaborate and grow with Beachwood for the benefit of our school communities."
The Cleveland branch of the Anti-Defamation League has also been communicating with Brooklyn's district. Regional Director Kelly Fishman said she's offered the district professional development for teachers and student education programs, and they are collaboratively planning a timeline of implementation.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association is also weighing in, with spokesman Tim Stried telling WKYC:
"The OHSAA is aware of the incident involving the Brooklyn High School football team on September 22 in a game against Beachwood High School. The OHSAA affirms the statement and apology released by Brooklyn City Schools on Monday and acknowledges that the head football coach has resigned. The OHSAA expects that the school will not have any similar issues moving forward, as offensive language has no place in sports at any level and goes against the values of sportsmanship, respect and education-based athletics."