NYC suburb described as ‘not user-friendly to people of color’ following racist incident at high school game

At Pearl River High School in Rockland County, New York north of New York City, some students are being called out after making racist remarks during a basketball game on February 8.

The racist remarks, according to News 12 Westchester in Westchester, NY, were made by supporters of the Pirates, one of the teams.

News 12 Westchester reports, “People who attended the game Tuesday night say when Nyack players made free throws, some on the Pirates’ side were heard making noises similar to a monkey's.”

Wilbur Aldridge, director of the NAACP’s Mid-Hudson/Westchester branch, was not surprised by the incident.

Aldridge told News 12 Westchester, “Pearl River, historically, has been known, or believed to be, not user- friendly (to) people of color.”

But Pearl River School Superintendent Marco Pochintesta, in a February 10 letter, declared, “The behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and the students involved will be addressed through the District's Code of Conduct…. I believe this and other recent incidents of disrespect in our school community should serve as a message to each of us to participate in creating positive change.”

Pearl River, New York is roughly 20 miles from Mid-Town Manhattan.