LUNENBURG, Mass. (WHDH) — The Lunenburg Superintendent has canceled the rest of the football season after a racial slur was discovered painted on one of the player’s houses.
"Since the racial harassment investigations are ongoing I am announcing that the remaining football games of the season have been forfeited,” Superintendent Loxi Jo Calmes said.
Friday the slur was discovered painted on the home of 13year-old Isaac Phillips, the only black player on the Lunenburg Blue Knights football team.
The graffiti isn’t the only example race being an issue when the football team is involved.
"The Lunenburg Public Schools continue to investigate allegations related to racial slurs by the Lunenburg players that were directed towards Worcester South players,” Calmes said.
Players are saying that they would have liked to finish out their season, but their friend is more important.
“I personally really want to have the last game, but honestly Isaac means way more to me than missing a game or two,” Jeffery Weigold said.
While many community members are banding together in support of Isaac and his family, not everyone thinks the school made the right call.
"They have one or two screwballs that did this alleged crime and their punishing the entire school basically. That's not right," Dan Keohang said.
Sunday night the town gathered in support of Phillips at a candlelight vigil, and now the school is joining the community in sending a message.
"We have no tolerance for racism in any form and we do everything we can to eliminate it from our schools and our community,” Calmes said.
Gov. Deval Patrick even weighed in on the incident saying that it is not who the people of Lunenburg or the Commonwealth are.