First Selectman's Office: Statement regarding the Bacon/Ledyard incident

Dear Colchester Residents,

 

Our community has made national and international news because of an alleged racial incident that occurred at the Bacon-Ledyard basketball game on Saturday, February 5^th. Our Superintendent released a statement on Tuesday, February 8^th stating that “we believe this behavior did take place and included racial taunts by some adults aimed at opposing youth players”. When I spoke to our Superintendent in front of our Resident Sergeant Trooper, he claimed that the evidence gathered from the Ledyard Superintendent was sufficient. I issued a public statement to condemn any acts of racism that may have occurred and I trusted the Superintendent had sufficient basis to make his pronouncement.

 

Since the alleged incident has spread, our Bacon Academy girls basketball team have suffered at the hands of  bullying and harassment online.  Colchester parents have seen their reputations damaged.  Our public school system has become disparaged nationwide, and some have even labeled our town as racist.  Many lives have been negatively affected.

 

Yet something did not add up. As I spoke to parents who were at the game, they denied knowledge of any racial incident occurring. Every minute of the game was mined to find a racist incident, and nothing was found. No evidence was provided to the Colchester Police Department. In a follow up conversation on Thursday, February 10, with the Superintendent, he admitted to me that no evidence existed, and he made his initial statement based on the word of the Ledyard Superintendent. I was extremely disappointed that our Superintendent jumped to a conclusion before a serious investigative process was conducted.

 

I have spoken to the Ledyard Chief of Police, and he has confirmed that an investigation is currently being conducted. I look forward to the findings. I also expect the Ledyard Superintendent to provide evidence of the alleged racial claims that he has no problem speaking to the media about.  If he cannot produce that evidence, he should resign effective immediately.

 

Racism has no place in our or any community. However, making a declaration without all the facts has caused our community irreparable damage.  If in fact it is determined that there is no evidence, one must wonder what the underlying motivations could have been.

 

Sincerely,

 

Andreas Bisbikos

First Selectman