Statement: Five Smithfield High School football players reinstated after reported anti-Semitic hazing incident

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (WLNE) — Five Smithfield High School football players are reportedly back on their team following an alleged anti-Semitic hazing incident earlier in October.

According to a joint statement from the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, the players have been reinstated.

The groups’ shared comments on the matter said in part:

The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center strongly condemn Smithfield School administrators’ decision to reinstate five football players involved in a horrific antisemitic hazing attack against a Jewish freshman student.

Our organizations have engaged the school in good faith since first learning about this incident. This abrupt reversal, coupled with the administration’s failure to respond to multiple outreach attempts from both organizations and the victim’s family, represents a serious breach of trust.

Both local groups are asking that the students issue a formal apology and that the student body and staff attend anti-bias education.

Reached for comment on the reported reinstatement, Smithfield Public Schools Superintendent Dawn Bartz said in full:

The disciplinary process has concluded, and we will not be discussing details involving students.