the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood High School was again not portrayed in the best light in the stands or parking lot during the lacrosse tournament. Principal Tom Gorman sent out and email condemning poor behavior and littering.
“Unfortunately, despite previous warnings and pleas for assistance in my November 30 and December 11 letters regarding the conduct of our fans at the MetLife Stadium football championship game, Ridgewood High School was again not portrayed in the best light in the stands or parking lot during the lacrosse tournament. Administrators from Mahwah High School have notified us that the parking lot parent tailgate in the Ridgewood section was left in a very poor state with trash and alcohol bottles strewn about. In addition, we had one Ridgewood adult fan verbally accost the referees after the game, which required police intervention.”
Several Ridgewood parents have now come out and vigorously denied the allegations made by Principal Tom Gorman. Parents claim the messes were not Ridgewood messes and that RHS parents and students cleaned up .
This is not the first time these type of allegations were made at a Ridgewood Sports group. In December
Principal Tom Gorman , sent out and email saying , “Unfortunately, despite previous warnings and pleas for assistance, Ridgewood High School was not portrayed in the best light in the stands or in the parking lot. Administrators and faculty members spent much of the game dealing with students that were under the influence and/or involved in disruptive behavior. In addition, the parking lot in the Ridgewood section was left in a very poor state with trash and broken bottles” https://theridgewoodblog.net/ridgewood-high-school-was-not-portrayed-in-the-best-light-in-the-stands-or-in-the-parking-lot-at-metlife-stadium/
A reader at the time commented , “I watched the streaming game on MSG Barsity. The camera panned the Ridgewood crowd and one high school aged boy gave the finger to the camera – for the entire time the camera pointed into the stands. It seemed like forever.
Tailgating is something that adult and college sports fans do. How many Facebook posts of tailgates have you seen this fall? All pics of your neighbors drinking in the parking lot. This is also seen in the Facebook posts from parents traveling to college football games and partying with the kids. Did any of you stop and think how pathetic you look drinking at a frat party? And then you make things worse by posting those photos for the world to see.
So parents, the kids are just mimicking your behavior. Think about that the next time you post your party pics. Some parents think that they look cool, most just look like puffy boozers.”
While we think the truth is somewhere in between the Gorman allegations and the parents denials we do think parents ,coaches and teachers must lead by example and set high standards of behavior . A $103 million school budget would suggest those standards should be equality as high.
Trash and broken bottles equals job security for the cleaners at Met Life. Not everyone belongs to the 1% with a kid playing in an elite lacrosse program.
another sad example of parents setting a bad example at sporting events.
Why are parents tailgating(drinking) before a High School LAX game? LOSERS! Is that really necessary? What kind of example are you setting? It is illegal to drink on Public School grounds. You are breaking the law. If I ever see you or hear of you doing it I will most certainly call the police on you.
I was at the football game at Giants Stadium and the football game the week before at RHS. Both featured parents and students who were obviously intoxicated.
I am no tea totaller and I have no problem with an adult having a cocktail or a couple beers with lunch or dinner before these events. But to go out and drink with intention of getting drunk is just gross. Especially with all these HS kids there. It is not right to get smashed in front of your kids.
I also dont believe in strict enforcement for the kids. I dont want breathalyzers for kids to attend events. Far be it from me to judge a kid who has a couple drinks before a game.
BUT when there are kids who can hardly walk and who are falling over other kids in the stands, the teacher or cops standing there have to step in. If nothing else by teaching there are limits you keep kids from getting out of control and doing harm to themselves or others. I saw behavior from kids at both games that should have had consequences. If you want to “go soft” then at least tell them to leave the event. In reality some of them probably should have received punishment from the school.
The bottom line is that at both football games, I was uncomfortable having my 1st grader there. I actively monitored the crowd because there was a real threat of a fight between parents and/or students at RHS and I was concerned about my kid getting trampled accidentally. At Giants Stadium, we actually moved seats to get away from the students precisely because there were some who were falling over trying to walk down the steps to their seats.
Bottom line: there is a line between creating a police state for parents and students and the free for all frat party that existed at those games I attended and now reportedly a the lacrosse games. We all have to smarten up or we will end up with strict enforcement from police and less fun for everyone.
Parents drinking at HS sports are idiots and poor example for their kids.
On a related note, saw a couple of “Support The Teachers” signs on South Pleasant this morning.
I’m sorry but it’s hard to find any sympathy for this union. After 4 short years they have a job for life !
Can’t say that for the rest of us.
This will get worked out…hang on a little longer.
1:45 – NOT related at all. Please stop.
Agreed 1:45 – I find it hard to support the teachers. CARRY ON.