New Rochelle High removes Rice jersey

NEW ROCHELLE – The high school that once boasted about Ray Rice, one of its most famous and successful graduates, as a role model has removed his NFL jersey from its gym and honorary placard from its hallway.

The removal comes days after a video was released showing Rice punching his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, and knocking her unconscious in the Revel Hotel Casino in Atlantic City earlier this year.

"When you put people up on a wall of fame, it's an inspiration to the kids in the school," said Steve Young, New Rochelle High School's athletic director. "It becomes a teachable moment for the kids, that when something like that happens, there's a consequence."

The incident involving Rice also has transformed into a much larger national controversy about why the NFL indefinitely suspended the former running back this week when the league initially suspended him for only two games.

League Commissioner Roger Goodell told CBS on Tuesday no one in the NFL had seen the longer video of the Rice and Palmer confrontation, which clearly shows the punch, until this week when it was posted online. But The Associated Press reported Wednesday that a law enforcement official said the video had been sent to the NFL five months ago.

In New Rochelle, the taking down of the NFL jersey and removal of the placard caused confusion among some students, particularly because the jersey Rice wore while a student at the school bearing the No. 5, which school officials subsequently retired in tribute to him, remained on the gym's wall, said Justin Cossifos, 15, of New Rochelle.

"I don't know why they left one up and took one down," he said.

Cossifos first noticed that the NFL jersey was gone from the gym wall Wednesday morning. It was a sign of disrespect that was shocking to see because Rice has been notably generous with his money and time at the school, not only donating new uniforms, equipment and other gear to students but often returning to speak to them and encourage them, Cossifos said.

"All that he has done and this is what they do to him?" the high school junior asked.

Young, the school athletic director, said while officials took down the jersey for now, it could conceivably go up again.

"This wasn't permanent, but it's a message to our kids that actions like this have consequences," he said.

Young said he still supports Rice and that the former running back is welcome at the school.

"He's done some great things for this community, so we support him and his family. When you look at all of the great things that he's done here, no one is walking away from him," Young said. "We want him to come by. Ray has a lot of work to do, but we're here for him. We want to help him, and we want to make him feel part of this."

Rice still has supporters in New Rochelle, however, one business found out how that support also has consequences.

Gary Torigian, the co-owner of Spectator's Sports Pub and Restaurant, who was quoted in The Journal News this week saying that he would "hate to see this five-minute show of rage (in the video) come to define" Rice, reported receiving at least five angry calls from people, some threatening to boycott his business for his support of Rice.

"I'm not condoning what (Rice) did in any shape or form," Torigian said. "But I'm not going to omit what he's done for this community, and I'm not going to judge him on this one instance."

May Krukiel, director of the Victims Assistance Services in Westchester County, said that Rice should be held accountable for his actions but that it doesn't have to define him, especially if he acknowledges his actions and goes on to speak out against violence.

"That might in fact redeem him," Krukiel said. "It's up to him whether he's defined by this action. I don't think anyone of us wants someone who is capable of this behavior to be held up as a role model."

Staff writer Vincent Z. Mercogliano contributed to this report.