A high school football coach and athletic director in Michigan has been fired after allegations emerged that he has used a racial epithet multiple times in recent seasons to describe his team's opponents.
As first reported by Michigan ABC affiliate WXYZ and the Detroit News, Romulus (Mich.) Summit Academy North football coach Rob Beaudrie was relieved of his duties after parents and others came forward with allegations that Beaudrie had used a racial slur at least three separate times.
The coach was first disciplined for using the "n-word" before a game between Summit Academy and Redford (Mich.) High in October, serving a one-game suspension for his action. Yet, because of the media attention that first racial slur caused other adults came forward alleging other uses of the racial slur by the coach, with the school eventually launching an internal violation that confirmed at least two other uses of the slur by Beaudrie.
"A situation recently came to our attention involving Summit North High School Athletic Director and Football Coach Rob Beaudrie regarding his use of inappropriate language prior to the Redford football game," Summit Academy North school director Alison Cancilliari told the media in a press release. "Following a thorough investigation, two additional situations involving violations of MHSAA policies were brought to our attention.
"After further investigation it was determined that the combination of the three policy violations required immediate action. Mr. Beaudrie is no longer Athletic Director or Coach at Summit Academy North."
Beaudrie wasn't the only coach to find himself in hot water in November because of racial remarks, as Prep Rally documented last week in the case of Winnetonka (Mo.) basketball coach Derek Howard, who told an African American student that he was a "future welfare recipient" while the student posed for a picture for students in the school's photography program.
Howard's case appears to be much more clear cut, as his comments were made directly about one of his own students, and were made directly to his face … into the lens of a camera.
Of course, that hardly makes the use of such a poisonous epithet any more acceptable for the likes of Beaudrie, regardless of the circumstances or the forgiving spirit of the Thanksgiving season.
Want more on the best stories in high school sports? Visit RivalsHigh or connect with Prep Rally on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.