Gloucester City Resident Says School Officials Have Falsely Accused Him; Former Rams Parent Calls City School Officials And Cops Racists
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Related: CNBNews Commentary
by William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNewsnet
GLOUCESTER CITY N.J. (October 12, 2016)--Gloucester City resident Steve Cowgill contacted CNBNews last Friday and said he was banned by the Gloucester City School Board, under the “Zero Tolerance” rule, for allegedly cursing a Gloucester City administrator at the Gloucester High/Palmyra football game. Cowgill said he didn’t curse the administrator and has four witnesses that will testify that he didn’t.
Cowgill, a Gloucester City High alumnus, said he and his friends set in the bleachers on the Palmyra side of the field because the bleachers are lower and he has a back problem. He said the Gloucester City school administrator approached him and asked that he and his friends move to the visitors' side of the field. He said the Palmyra police told the group that they didn’t have to move.
“We decided to move anyway,” said Cowgill. “We stayed and watched the remainder of the game. Several days later I received a letter from the school board telling me that I was banned from attending any further games because I cursed the administrator.”
Cowgill said he is considering filing a lawsuit against the Gloucester City Board of Education because of the ban. “I didn’t curse the administrator and I have four witnesses who will testify that I didn’t. “
Cowgill says, “I like to know why Rashann Hornsby hasn’t been banned from attending games? Cowgill was referring to a September 10 game between Gloucester Catholic and Pitman, played at the Gloucester High stadium.
Cowgill said Hornsby says in a Facebook video that he argued with someone in the stands and he and his family were escorted out of the Gloucester High stadium by police.
“Yet, from what I been told nothing happened to him, ” said Cowgill.
Rashaan Hornsby, the father of Gloucester Catholic football player Rashann Hornsby, posted a video on Facebook about last month's incident on Facebook. The video has had 7,709 views and 369 likes. Click the link below to view it.
During the video Hornsby, from Camden City, calls the parents from Gloucester Catholic and Gloucester City High School racists. He also calls members of the Gloucester City police department racists. He says his son and nephew are responsible for making the Rams football team better. “Gloucester Catholic didn’t win a game until my son joined the team.”
https://www.facebook.com/rashaan.hornsby/videos/10209647986308774/?pnref=story
Related: Rams Win Opener
Related: Resident Questions School Board About Zero Tolerance (SJO)
He also said his nephew and son were beaten up in Gloucester City by 10 kids from Gloucester High for doing nothing. Hornsby said he was going to contact the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). And he said he was thinking about removing his son from Gloucester Catholic.
Gloucester City Police Chief Brian Morrell said the city did send a “Zero Tolerance” letter last week to Hornsby. “That letter doesn’t come from the police department, it comes from either the city or the organization,”said Morrell. “I do sit on that Board.”
“I can’t comment any further about the Hornsby incident since the matter is still under investigation by Internal Affairs. I can tell you that Mr. Hornsby removed his son from Gloucester Catholic last week.”
Gus Ostrum, the spokesman for Gloucester Catholic High School said school officials have no comment.
Gloucester City's Youth Sports Code of Conduct and Code of Conduct Committee ordinances were passed in April 2002. (Ordinance #003-2002 and #004-2002).
November 24, 2015 (Ordinance 0-31-2015) amending Chapter 92 Gloucester City Youth Sports was approved. A screen shot of the ordinance is below.