Becoming speech police: NJ bans trash-talking in high school sports

[TxJim]

http://www.myfoxny.com/story/22643840/nj-bans-trash-talking-in-high-school-sports

NJ bans trash-talking in high school sports

Posted: Jun 20, 2013 9:59 AM CDT
Updated: Jun 20, 2013 10:00 AM CDT
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey high school athletes who talk trash could find their teams penalized and themselves under investigation by the state Civil Rights Division.

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and the state Attorney General's Office announced the new policy on Wednesday.

They say it brings athletic events into line with the state's anti-bullying law for schools.

The sports policy goes into place this fall.

Participants 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.

[TXMike]

So as long as the trash talking does not make reference to one of those "protected classes", it is okay?

"Your momma so fat her bellybutton gets home 15 minutes before she does"

"Your momma so ugly she makes blind children cry"

These are okay then  ?

[TxJim]

Hopefully those having to officiate there recognize there is a big gap between intent and impact.
 
Then again, this game used to be just about having fun playing football.

[AlUpstateNY]

So as long as the trash talking does not make reference to one of those "protected classes", it is okay?

I realize Texas and Massachusetts conduct High School Football under NCAA rules, but NFHS Football has considered "Trash Talking" a s "NonContact Unsportsmanlike Conduct by Players" a serious prohibition for decades.

NFHS 9-5-1a prohibits, "Baiting or taunting acts or words or insignia worn which will engender ill will. (NOTE: The NFHS disapproves of any form oftaunting which is intended or designed to embarrass, ridicule or demean others under any circumstances including on the basis of race, religion, gender or national origin)."  NFHS 9-5-1b adds, "Using profanity, insulting or vulgar language or gestures." to the list of prohibitions.

These, and a number of other prohibitions are subject to, "Penalties of 15 yards . Also Disqualification if flagrant (defined by NFHS 2-16-2c as, "Flagrant-a foul so severe or extreme that it places an opponent  in danger of serious injury and/or involves violations that are extremely or persistently vulgar or abusive contact".

The Penalty Section goes on to explain, "The second Unsporstmanlike foul results in disqualification" which under NFHS 9-8 (Non Contact USC by Non-Players) extends to Coaches, Substitutes, athletic trainers or other team attendants, and requires "A disqualified member of the coaching staff shall be removed from the stadium area and be prohibited from any further contact, direct or indirect, with his team during the remainder of the game.  For failure to comply the Referee may forfeit the Game."

This policy is nothing new, and has been an NFHS requirement for a long time.

[TampaSteve]

Interesting.  "...statements regarding race..."
Had 2 players of opposing teams, but of the same race.  One called the other a term/slur.
I am of another race of the two players.  Had I said this term, it would have been offensive & I would have every Regulatory body wanting for my head.
Easily, I could have flagged & kicked the kid out of the game.  The write-up would have been easy.  Player X called player Y, "zzzzzzzzz".
Conversely though, I live in the real world and I understand that this term is (oddly enough) acceptable to say should you be of the same race to whom you are calling the other person.
Player X sat out for the remainder of the series and the expectation was given to his coach that it would be best we do not hear this term again in any game this kid participates in for the remainder of the season.

So what shall be 'trash talking'?  kinda like porn? - can't 'explain what it is, but you know it when you see it'

[TXMike]

Sorry, but if a white kid uses the N word directed at an opponent, he is gone.  So if a black kid uses it, he is gone too.

[breckjr]

Personnally, I only hear it one time and I let them know they won't use that word on this field. 

[TxSkyBolt]

Good thing you don't work in the middle Mike...wait you do this year...this is gonna be fun

[TXMike]

I am normally "deaf" anyway so the time I did hear it you can imagine how loud the kid was.  Guess he did not realize the back judge is standing there near the dead ball area watching and listening for extraneous BS.

[Ralph Damren]

Up here in Maine the "trash-talking" is usually just plain ole' swearing and ,if directed at an opponent or official, always draws a hankie. When talking to a teammate or in disgust is kind of a gray area that depends on who might also hear it. This worked as a cure once : (1) Injury timeout and several players of a milltown team were "F-Bombing" each other; (2) I called their captain over , pointed out our umpire Snickers who was standing over the ball scratching his belly, and said, "That's Reverend Tom - Baptist minister - and he gets really nervous when he hears that F-word. He has a flag in each pocket and I've seen him get so nervous that he's thrown all 4 at once !" (3) The captain returns to his huddle and points out "Reverend" Tom Snickers to his teammates; (4) a few minutes later the period ends and as we're changing ends, I notice several players lined up shaking "Rev." Tom's Snickers hand; Nana (5) I asked him' "What was that all about ?" and his response was, "I don't know, they were all apologizing  and calling me  'Reverend , Father and sir'  " (6) No more Bombs were dropped and I didn't fill our umpire in until the road trip home, Moral of story : Most kids are good kids and words that may be a common vernacular to their daily lives shouldn't be used at school functions and this is one.

[James]

I'm also usually 'deaf' in the middle -respectively, when they have mouthguards in, I have trouble understanding their German.
On time I did throw a flag that I took back - the players convinced me that they were complementing their DE who had made a great tackle on the last play. His name was Digget or something, and they called him 'Digger'.

If they are swearing at themselves or their teammates, I try to point out that it is easy for me to misunderstand and think they are talking to me, which would necessitate a flag. They USUALLY cut it out...

[AlUpstateNY]

Referencing High School Football and High School student athletes (and below), stupid, unnecessary and often innocuous comments made at one point far to easily become the fuel for behavior a lot more damaging later in the game.  The job of "keeping the lid on" falls most often to the Umpire who can address those initial dopey comments a lot more privately and specific and set a tone that all the players can identify with.

Flags are for the BIG commets, FLAGRANT comments and REPEAT comments, in most other situations a well placed "word to the wise" is sufficient.  There is way more teeth in NF 9-6-1 than we will ever need as backup, and never enough excuses to explain how a situation might have been "allowed" to get out of hand.

A lot of really bad situations late in ballgames can trace their origins back to some dopey comment, made much earlier, that someone else felt had to be addressed because it was left "hanging in the air".

Addressing comments early and consistently dramatically reduces their potential for biting you in the backside later on. 

[Bob M.]

Sorry, but if a white kid uses the N word directed at an opponent, he is gone.  So if a black kid uses it, he is gone too.

REPLY: That's exactly what we were told Monday night at our meeting with the NJSIAA in Trenton. This all goes back to a game last season where that word was allegedly used toward an opponent. Officials didn't hear it, but it was reported to them. After the game, the offended team raised a legitimate stink about the issue and eventually it got to the level of the state Attorney General. His office brought the NJSIAA in for a chat, after which the Association was required to develop a set of plans for dealing with this going forward. One of the outputs of that plan is what you just read/saw. However, what's being stressed in this year's crackdown is not specifically taunting, baiting, etc. Nothing new there. The emphasis in this year's policy is comments of a racial, gender, ethnic, sexual orientation, and religious affiliation nature. Comments of those natures = immediate DQ.

[AlUpstateNY]

You are insane, if you hear any of these remarks, and let it go.  If you do, whomever the remark was intended for 999 times out of 1000 will believe himself "honor bound" to retaliate, whether immediately or at some point thereafter, as well as any teammates of the offended player who heard the remark. 

The choice is yours, if you want to deal with the retaliation, let that first remark go, even with a stern warning.  You are planting the seed that will sting your own butt.  As for remarks that are not hear, but reported to you, you simply explain if you don't hear it, you can't act on it, but that's the time to remind whomever has been accused, that any and all stupid remarks will be pounced on, without accusing anyone specifically.

[Bob M.]

You are insane, if you hear any of these remarks, and let it go.  If you do, whomever the remark was intended for 999 times out of 1000 will believe himself "honor bound" to retaliate, whether immediately or at some point thereafter, as well as any teammates of the offended player who heard the remark. 

The choice is yours, if you want to deal with the retaliation, let that first remark go, even with a stern warning.  You are planting the seed that will sting your own butt.  As for remarks that are not hear, but reported to you, you simply explain if you don't hear it, you can't act on it, but that's the time to remind whomever has been accused, that any and all stupid remarks will be pounced on, without accusing anyone specifically.

REPLY: Al...just for the record, when I said that the official "didn't hear it," I meant just that. No one heard the remark. I didn't mean to imply that he (wink...wink) didn't hear it.

[AlUpstateNY]

REPLY: Al...just for the record, when I said that the official "didn't hear it," I meant just that. No one heard the remark. I didn't mean to imply that he (wink...wink) didn't hear it.

Bob, I never doubted you, or the official for a moment, I was merely suggesting that when something may well have been said, but the official didn't hear it, the player reporting it needs to understand UNIQUIVICABLY that unless whatever might have been said is actually heard by an official, there's nothing that can be done about it.  Otherwise you'll be getting reports throughout the rest of the game about "who said what".

Reminding the accused team, in general, about comments that "Might" be heard, is simply hedging your bet about what you might have missed, to alert everyone you're paying attention, which if you're very lucky may serve to caution players to watch what they do say.

In certain respects, most players have extremely advanced vocabularies.