Read Duxbury’s letter about the firing of football coach Dave Maimaron, ongoing investigation into anti-Semitic terms

Two men crossed the Duxbury High School football field.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

Duxbury’s Dave Maimaron has been fired as head football coach after players on his team used anti-Semitic terms and Holocaust-related language during a March 12 game.

Maimaron, who is also a teacher in the high school, has been placed on administrative leave by the school district as it continues to investigate the use of terms like “rabbi,” “dreidel,” and “Auschwitz” during the season-opening game against Plymouth North.

Duxbury superintendent John Antonucci released a letter to the Duxbury community addressing the incident and outlining what steps the district is taking next.

Here’s the letter:

Dear Duxbury Community,

We want to provide a follow-up to our message on Monday regarding the Duxbury Football program. First, we want to be perfectly clear that we recognize how serious this is, and it is getting our undivided attention. We also recognize that this is an emotionally-charged issue for our community, and many outside of our community. The outrage is real, warranted, and we hear it. The fact that members of our school community used such offensive language, including anti-Semitic language, is horrifying and disappointing. We are collaborating with the Anti-Defamation League regarding the seriousness of the allegations, and on our short-term and long-term response.

Before we share more information with you, please find below two very important announcements:

First, as of today, Duxbury has severed ties with Dave Maimaron as Head Football Coach.

Second, in collaboration with the Hingham administration, a decision has been made to cancel the varsity football game scheduled for Friday night, as well as the JV and Freshman games scheduled for Saturday and Monday. A decision about future games and the fate of the football season will be made at a later date.

Independent investigation

We know from many conversations, emails, and online posts that many people want action now, and we appreciate that sentiment. However, we are still in the middle of an active investigation and it is important that we get accurate information and facts in this case. To this end, the District has hired Edward R. Mitnick of Just Training Solutions, LLC to assist us in conducting a full investigation of all of the allegations made against the program in the most expeditious manner possible. Mr. Mitnick is an experienced attorney and investigator, and has provided services to employers throughout the United States for over thirty years.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Although this most recent issue has brought many concerns to light, please know that the Duxbury Public Schools has, in recent years, shone a spotlight on the need to promote antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in our public schools. In short, we had already identified this as a top priority before this week. Among other things, it is a key component of our Strategic Plan and the basis of the work of our Antiracism Task Force. Furthermore, we have established partnerships and regular communication with a number of community groups who share our commitment to this work, such as Duxbury For All, the Interfaith Council, and Duxbury Rotary, just to name a few. We will rely on these relationships as we work to ensure that members of the school community understand the importance of inclusion and respect.

Sincerely,

John Antonucci, Superintendent

Danielle Klingaman, Assistant Superintendent

Patrick Dillon, Chief Human Resources Officer

James Donovan, High School Principal