Parents in a predominantly Black school district in suburban New York waited nearly a month to learn the decision on their pleas for a Long Island high school to cancel all future athletic competitions with their crosstown rivals, citing ongoing racial abuse from white spectators. ​In response to parents’ demands to cease athletic competitions with the Bellmore-Merrick School District due to alleged racist incidents, Sewanhaka Central Superintendent Regina Agrusa announced that Elmont High School will continue these sporting events. Speaking at a board meeting on Tuesday night, Agrusa acknowledged the community’s concerns, stating she was “truly sorry” and that “the district does not and will not tolerate any form of hate toward our students.” A scuffle at high school basketball games leaves Black parents frustrated over unfair suspension. (Credit. News12 Video Screengrab) To address safety and equity, Agrusa outlined measures to ensure that “competitions are safe for all participants” and that the code of conduct is “equally enforced for all students.” She expressed confidence that through “intentional dialogue and education,” student-athletes can engage in competitive sports “that do not include hate and harm.” While acknowledging that not all community members may agree with this decision, Agrusa emphasized her belief that it serves the best interest of the student-athletes at this time. At a town hall held last month and hosted by sports officials in Nassau County’s Section VIII, Black parents from Elmont High School voiced outrage over what they claimed was a long history of racist behavior from the Bellmore-Merrick School District crowd toward Black student athletes and their parents. The allegations involve racially charged attacks during school-sponsored sporting events, including assaults, racist effigies and players being subjected to the N-word, leading to occasional melees during games. The hostility, parents say, has spanned multiple sports and affected both varsity and junior varsity teams. Elmont High’s Parent Teacher Student Association and Dads’ Club called a meeting on Feb. 26 to address the complaints, packing the room with advocates from Sewanhaka School District and the Bellmore-Merrick District and putting pressure on officials to act. No final decision has been made yet on what would be an extraordinary and perhaps logistically complex move to remove an entire district from the sports schedule. However, Black parents argue that such a drastic measure is warranted, citing the bad blood between the schools dating back several years. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” said Lynette Battle, an Elmont mom and Sewanhaka board trustee, as well as the former PTSA president, according to The New York Post. “Something different has to be done. And someone needs to be courageous enough to stand on business,” she said. The breaking point for Elmont High School parents came during a varsity girls’ basketball game on Feb. 7 at Kennedy High School in the Bellmore-Merrick District, where two opposing players came to blows. However, only the Elmont girl, who is Black, was ejected after she allegedly swung at the Kennedy girl, who is white. Elmont challenged the suspension after video footage surfaced showing the Black player was struck first. Section VIII initially upheld the suspension but later reversed its decision after a second appeal, letting the girl play in a playoff game. Meanwhile, Bellmore-Merrick chose to suspend its Kennedy player for two games on its own. The incident sparked renewed activism among Elmont parents, pushing them to confront what they see as a longstanding pattern of issues between the districts. At the recent meeting, Elmont parents pushed for Bellmore-Merrick schools to be removed from both the high school and middle school athletic schedules starting next fall. Lynette Battle, whose child recently graduated from Elmont High, cited a series of racially charged incidents dating back to 2019. In February of that year, Bellmore-Merrick spectators hurled racial slurs at Elmont cheerleaders, with one even wearing an afro wig to mock Black players, Battle told the Post. The following November, a workshop brought students from both schools together, where Elmont players claimed their Bellmore-Merrick rivals had spat on them, refused to shake their hands, and used racial slurs, Battle said. In December 2021, spectators at a junior varsity basketball game between Bellmore-Merrick’s Mepham High School and Elmont allegedly hurled racial taunts, referencing “bananas” and calling the Elmont girls “monkeys.” Section VIII Director Patrick Pizzarelli told the newspaper that two fans faced disciplinary action over the incident. He added that Bellmore-Merrick’s superintendent and athletic director personally visited Elmont High to apologize to the team. During a 2023 junior varsity volleyball match between Elmont and Kennedy, spectators once again targeted Elmont players with racial slurs and taunts referencing bananas. Battle claimed additional racially charged incidents took place between students from both schools in August and September 2022, as well as in October 2023, though they were never formally reported to local sports officials. In response, Section VIII and school administrators have introduced pregame civility statements and team workshops, but for many Elmont parents those efforts fall short. “Our children are the ones being victimized. Why do they need to be in the room for a kumbaya moment?” Battle said. Jon Johnson, a Black father with the Dad’s Club, told The Post that his three grown children, now in their 20s and 30s, each played sports at Elmont High and each encountered racism during competition. “So when my middle son was playing against [Wellington C. Mepham High School in the Bellmore-Merrick district], he was playing lacrosse, and in the middle of the game, the opposing player, after Elmont scored, the opposing player called him flat-out the N-word and told him to get off of the field,’’ Johnson said. “We have trusted our district to help look over our kids, but I don’t think that they have, because they keep doing things to put a Band-Aid to a gunshot wound.” Pizzarelli defended Section VIII’s efforts, saying they’ve taken racial incidents seriously and made strides through town halls and open discussions. He acknowledged the parents’ frustrations but pointed out that without formal reports, Nassau officials can’t properly address past claims. Pizzarelli stated that Section VIII will review the scheduling issue and announce a decision in the coming months. ‘I Am Truly Sorry’: ‘Monkey’ Taunts, N-Word Slurs, and Unjust Suspensions Aren’t Enough—Superintendent Rejects Plea from Black Parents to End Games Against Rival School Responsible ...read more read less