Berkshire High Schools Release Statement on Fan Behavior at Athletic Events

04:00PM / Wednesday, December 04, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County superintendents, principals, and athletic directors have released a statement addressing fan behavior and sportsmanship at high school athletic contests.

Ahead of the Winter Sports Season, all Berkshire County superintendents and principals met to discuss concerns regarding conduct at school sponsored athletic events. As a result of this meeting, a message was crafted as a reminder of the expectations for conduct at all sporting events.

According to the statement:

Berkshire County superintendents, principals, and athletic directors feel that there is a need to address fan behavior and sportsmanship at high school athletic contests that are not in keeping with our schools' core values and beliefs. We believe it is imperative that all participants and attendees experience a sense of belonging at these events. This means all student-athletes, coaches, and officials should be able to carry out their duties on the field of competition without fear of verbal or physical attacks. Behavior by students, coaches, fans, or other attendees that is unwelcoming or hostile will not be

tolerated. All of our schools strive to provide inclusive and family-friendly events. In an effort to maximize the value of educational athletics, we have agreed upon the following priorities as we head into the winter athletic season:

All superintendents have committed to providing comprehensive communication to community stakeholders to ensure consistency in messages regarding conduct at sporting events.
All superintendents have committed to providing appropriate staffing at each event to supervise and monitor participants and fans.
All coaches, student-athletes, and administrators will model the expectations for good sportsmanship at each event.
All schools have agreed upon a minimum 2-week suspension period for fans removed from an event.
All schools will continue to reinforce and model MIAA guidelines.
Finally, we appreciate our school communities for supporting our athletic programs. All fans should feel welcome in all venues. Sportsmanship is the expectation. Let the players play, let the coaches coach, and let the officials officiate.

Tags: Sports,

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.

This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.

The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.

DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.

"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.

"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."

Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.

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