School district upholds decision; AI’s season over – The News Journal

The News Journal Published 11:23 a.m. ET Feb. 24, 2017 | Updated 5 hours ago

Red Clay School District has upheld a decision by A.I. du Pont High School Principal to remove the boys basketball team from consideration for the upcoming DIAA state tournament. 2/24/17 Damian Giletto/The News Journal

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DMA's commandant, Anthony Pullella, responds to accusations his students provoked an incident between A.I. players and fans during a basketball game last week. 2/24/17 JOHN J. JANKOWSKI JR./SPECIAL TO THE NEWS JOURNAL

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Red Clay Consolidated School District will review a decision by the A.I. du Pont High School principal to ban the boys basketball team from participating in the upcoming DIAA Boys Basketball Tournament. 2/23/17 Damian Giletto/The News Journal

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Red Clay upholds A.I. principal's decision to end season

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A.I. duPont High School principal Kevin Palladinetti tries to answer questions from parents and political leaders about an incident after the team's 58-46 loss at Delaware Military Academy last Thursday that lead the team from participating in the upcoming DIAA Boys Basketball Tournament.(Photo: Jennifer Corbett, The News Journal )Buy Photo

Red Clay Consolidated School District has upheld a decision by A.I. du Pont High School Principal KevinPalladinetti to remove the boys basketball team from consideration for the upcoming DIAA state tournament.

"We understand it was a difficult decision by staff at A.I. High School but we support that decision and stand behind it, said Superintendent Merv Daugherty. The district believes the disciplinary consequence fits the seriousness of the incident.

Jen Field, whose son is a senior on the team, told The News Journal that a group of those opposed toPalladinetti's decision will meet Friday night to discuss what, if any, next steps they will take.

Palladinettis decision stemmed from an incident following the Tigers loss at Delaware Military Academy on Feb. 16.

With 40 seconds left, an A.I. player was given a technical foul. At that point, A.I. head coach Tom Tabb said he told the players on the bench to skip the customary postgame handshake line. Instead, the coach told the team he would shake hands with the DMA team, and the players were to remain behind him and follow him off the court as a group.

When the game was over, a player started to walk and then sprinted, which caused a chain reaction where the other players followed, the coaches followed, parents followed, some DMA parents followed, Tabb said Thursday.

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Officials from both schools said the A.I. players ran toward a stairwell leading to thesecond level of the gymnasium, whereDMA students and fans had been watching the game.

DMA officials said they blocked the players from accessing the mezzanine while another teacher directed DMA students out through an emergency door.

Several parents of A.I. du Pont players have alleged that racial slurs were spoken by DMA players, fans and students during the game. But Palladinetti said Tabb, Assistant Principal Damon Saunders (both of whom are black)and the other A.I. assistant coaches did not report hearing any racial slurs.

DMA Commandant Anthony Pullella was at the game and said he did not hear any racial comments. Michael Ryan, the athletic director, said DMA officials conducted their own investigation, questioning parents, players, coaches and fans. He said no evidence was uncovered about any racial comment being used.

In a statement issued Friday, Red Clay officials said the district will also "continue to work with DMA to investigate allegations of inappropriate actions by their players and fans. The district has requested that DMA administration investigate from their school. Red Clay also requested a formal investigation from DIAA about the conduct of the fans during the AIHS/DMA game. We will share all investigative findings concerning fan conduct when we receive them from DMA and DIAA."

The district is taking the claims of inappropriate behavior from game attendees very seriously, Daugherty said. We do not condone the behavior in any way and will continue to work closely with DMA to uncover any acts of impropriety.

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School district upholds decision; AI's season over - The News Journal