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Principal: Players were subjected to racist slurs

By WTOP Staff

PAT EATON-ROBB
Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A school principal said Tuesday that members of his high school’s football team were subjected to racist taunts from among a group of adults in an eastern Connecticut town where his team had just played an away game and lost.

New London High School principal William “Tommy” Thompson III said a fight broke out after fans in Plainfield used the N-word in taunts against the players, called them “monkeys” and told them to “get back in their cages” when the players were heading to their buses Friday. He said he did not hear the taunts directly but several players told him about them afterward.

Quarterback Danny Maranda told The Day of New London that he was repeatedly called an “N-word lover.”

Two former Plainfield high school students were charged with breach of peace in connection with the fight.

Plainfield Police Chief Michael Surprenant said no one interviewed by police Friday mentioned the slurs, but he said the investigation is continuing and more arrests are possible.

Minorities in New London, a city of about 27,000 residents, make up about 40 percent of the population; Plainfield, a town of 15,000 residents, is about 94 percent white, according to the latest census data.

Plainfield principal James Worth said he has been raising the issue of fan behavior at Plainfield High School, which he said experienced similar issues years ago.

“We have addressed issues with students and with fans over the past six years to improve the culture and the climate of the events,” he said. “And the fans have been very responsive and respectful.”

After Friday night’s fight, Plainfield’s quarterback offered an apology on Twitter to the New London quarterback for the fans’ behavior. Thompson said a Monday game between freshmen and sophomores has been rescheduled and a postgame dinner will be held with student athletes from both schools.

Duane Pierson Jr., who coached youth football in Groton for 17 years, said the issue has not been limited to Plainfield High School games. He said he had to remind his players every time they visited Plainfield to ignore the racial taunts.

“It was only when we played there,” said Pierson, who now coaches the Rhode Island Riptide of the semipro New England Football League. “I had a kid come over to me crying. It was something we had to address with parents and players every time we went up there.”

Plainfield First Selectman Paul Sweet, who attended the game Friday and said he did not witness any racial taunting, said his town is embarrassed by the complaints after Friday’s game, but he said they do not reflect his community’s attitudes.

“This should not be something that paints the town as anti-diversity or anything like that,” Sweet said. “That is absolute crap. That’s just not fair, and it’s not a way of life around here.”

The fight broke out after the New London players emerged from the locker room following their 21-17 loss to Plainfield High School. Besides charges against the two, the Plainfield principal said they also have been banned from attending events on school grounds.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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