'We Can't Wait Another Day': MIAA To Tackle Inappropriate Behavior At Football Games

FRANKLIN (CBS) - The MIAA said now is the time to step in following allegations of inappropriate behavior this school year involving several high school athletic teams.

It was Friday night football done right at Franklin High School as the Panthers took on the Methuen High Rangers.

Bob Baldwin - the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association- said a clean game should be the goal, as the MIAA tackles homophobic and racist allegations during recent high school football games.

Brockton High School said marching band students were subjected to racist and homophobic remarks during last Friday's game against Xaverian Brothers High School and a fight broke out on the football field earlier this fall after the Roxbury Prep team said they were called racial slurs by Georgetown High School players and fans.

"These behaviors are symptomatic to deeper issues," Baldwin said. "We're just seeing incident after incident taking place amongst our school aged students."

Emma McLean is the mother of a senior football player at Franklin High and said she tells her son to serve as a good example to his teammates.

"Me and my husband raised our children to treat everybody how you want to be treated and show kindness," McLean said.

Baldwin said the MIAA is in a position of leadership to have an impact on changing students' behavior.

"We can't wait another day in the life of a child," Baldwin said. "What can we do in programming to be there before something happens?"

The MIAA said it does not want to overstep individual schools but plans to put together educational programming for student athletes that could prevent similar incidents down the road.