WORCESTER—City and school officials are condemning racist and offensive social media comments directed at South High Community School student-athletes, as new details reveal the scope and severity of the online harassment following recent tournament games.
In a joint statement released Thursday, Mayor Joseph Petty, the Worcester School Committee and Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Brian Allen said posts circulating online after a game against Andover High School included “hateful, racial comments” aimed at South High players.
“We want to first recognize the exceptional achievement of both South High and Andover High schools,” officials said in the statement. “Both teams advanced deep into the tournament, demonstrating talent and teamwork that made both communities incredibly proud.”
“Unfortunately, following the game, social media posts emerged that depicted student-athletes in an utterly unacceptable manner,” the statement reads. “These actions overshadowed the girls’ opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments and included hateful, racial comments directed toward South High’s players by adults and individuals not affiliated with either district.”
Screenshots of posts show a stream of derogatory and, in some cases, explicitly racist remarks directed at the players. Comments included phrases such as “they need their own league,” “typical … animals,” and calls for segregation, along with other demeaning and racially charged language.
Other posts referenced stereotypes, questioned the athletes’ presence in organized sports, or used terms widely recognized as racial slurs or coded language, underscoring the tone described by city officials.
City and school leaders said the response from Worcester has been unified.
“The Worcester community stands united in denouncing racism in all its forms. We are deeply troubled by the recent rhetoric,” the statement reads.
“Hate and discrimination have no place in our society, and certainly not toward our youth.”
The latest statement comes just days after Worcester City Council Vice Chair Khrystian King raised similar concerns about racism, threats and online harassment directed at the same team.
In a March 16 statement, King said the players had been subjected to “threats, racism, and bullying,” including “racist commentary circulating online” and “reports of threats invoking immigration enforcement toward student athletes during games.”
“The language directed at these students, including racial slurs, dehumanizing stereotypes, and even calls for segregation, is disgraceful,” King said in the statement.
King also described the issue as a broader youth safety and wellness concern, warning that online harassment can have lasting impacts beyond the moment it is posted.
“This isn’t just about a game; our youth’s wellness is at risk in the age of social media,” he said.
Officials did not identify those responsible for the posts or say whether any investigation is underway. It also remains unclear what platforms were involved or whether any content has been removed.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Have a story tip, community concern, or insight to share? Email Editor Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org.
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