Members of a high school girls basketball team have been punished after a photo surfaced of them giving a Nazi salute.
The high school located at Greely High School in Cumberland, Maine has been under media scrutiny because of the incident. The Associated Press reported that in a letter to parents the principal and athletic director said that two of the girls were giving a Hitler-style salute.
Members of a Maine high school girls' basketball team have been disciplined after a picture surfaced online of team members giving a Nazi salute. They said that one of the team members had been nicknamed Hitler. "Two players face each other, smiling, and give the Nazi salute with one arm in the air, while a third player sits cross-legged between them, holding her hands in peace signs," reported The Portland Press Herald about the photo.
The letter says "whether done in ignorance or with hate," the behaviour is"simply unacceptable."
The Portland Press Herald reported that the principal believes that the photo was posted on Facebook. All of them were wearing their team uniforms in the photo.
Administrators said to The Portland Press Herald that the letter was "inappropriate and biased language (was) used by members of the team."
Principal Dan McKeone said that they were taking the incident seriously and "We talked to several members of the team."
McKeone said that they were investigating where the photo came from and he said they believe it was taken by a parent.
The Superintendant Robert Hasson said to Portland Press Herald, "Those are unacceptable behaviors at MSAD 51, at Greely High School, and for student athletes."
McKeone and Athletic Director David Shapiro said said in the letter that they urge parents to be proactive about addressing the issue. The players have been disciplined but they declined to say what the action was.
"This is the second incident of anti-Semitic imagery in the Cumberland-North Yarmouth school district this school year. In December, Greely Middle School and some privately owned buildings nearby were vandalized with swastikas and offensive language that was later removed," reported The Portland Press Herald.
See the photo here.
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