South Jersey Football Coach, Students Facing Disciplinary Action After Racially Offensive Video Surfaces
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A scandal is rocking one of the region's premier high school football programs. South Jersey's winningest coach is suspended after some of his players made a racially offensive video message.
Football practice resumed Wednesday afternoon at St. Joseph High School in Hammonton amid disciplinary action against the varsity team's coach and multiple players.
The punishment surrounded a video uploaded to Snapchat sent to Haddonfield High School football players. St. Joseph's principal described the video as "foul and racially offensive language."
The video was allegedly shot in the basement of St. Joseph coach Paul Sacco's home. The Snapchat video was sent to Haddonfield players.
The video was recorded nearly two weeks ago but St. Joseph's principal says it was brought to his attention Wednesday afternoon.
"This behavior is absolutely unacceptable and directly opposed to Catholic teaching. Coach Paul Sacco should have been supervising the students at the time of the incident though he was not present at the time of the video," said Father Allain B. Caparas, president and principal of St. Joseph High School.
Sacco will receive a two-game suspension and is not permitted to host team gatherings in private residences.
The players will also be disciplined based on the level of their involvement which ranges from suspension from school, games, having to participate in community service and disciplinary probation for the rest of the school year.
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association released a statement saying, "NJSIAA is aware of the situation and takes this matter very seriously. As per our sportsmanship policy, we notified the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights and has asked both schools involved to investigate."
Sacco declined to comment to CBS3.
