Norwalk — School officials at Brien McMahon High School are taking action after students made a social media post that allegedly targeted a player from their inter-city rival, Norwalk High School. The Brien McMahon Athletics department posted a message on Facebook urging students to remove the post immediately, stating that it does not reflect the school’s values or the spirit of their football team.
The statement criticized the authors of the post, calling their actions “insensitive and cruel.” It emphasized that such behavior is an example of what is wrong with social media and stressed the importance of respect within the school community. The details surrounding the Instagram post remain unclear, as a district spokesperson did not provide information regarding its content.
On the day of the annual Thanksgiving football game between the two schools, Norwalk came out on top, winning 22-14. Despite the possible distraction of the social media controversy, the game day unfolded without any apparent incidents related to the negative post. After the game, Brien McMahon’s head coach, Jeff Queiroga, suggested that the social media drama may have influenced his team’s performance. He shared his thoughts, stating that the posts were made by “keyboard tough guys” who are not associated with the team.
Norwalk head coach Mike Forget commented that the administration of Brien McMahon had already addressed the issue and highlighted that the player who was the target of the post ended up having a strong game. He concluded by noting that securing the win was what truly mattered.
This incident underlines the ongoing challenges high schools face regarding social media and its impact on sports and student interactions.