On March 13th after Darien High School beat NCHS 4-1, the athletic board on Farm Road was vandalized with the final score of the game spray painted in blue. Following the incident on Sunday morning, Principal William Egan sent out an email urging students not to retaliate.
According to Mr. Egan, the total damage on the athletic board, an Eagle Scout project built to benefit the community, was about $10,000. “It was pretty significant,” he said. “I certainly understand the magnitude of any rivalry and especially one like ours between Darien. They’re very similar communities that care deeply about athletics, academics, and the arts. Sometimes that excitement can go too far.”
Mr. Egan said the New Canaan Police Department is looking into camera footage of the school’s parking lot to identify individuals who visited the school at the time of the incident. “It’s not about punishing,” he said. “If we hold someone accountable we can send a message to others that this is not right.” But Mr. Egan does not think this incident is representative of the entire Darien school community.
Last year, a similar incident happened at Darien High School when their front sign was spray painted in blue with the score of the hockey game, which New Canaan won. Mr. Egan said he does not think New Canaan students did the past vandalism incident at Darien High School, but it may be connected to this incident as well. He does not want students to retaliate to the incident and cross a line between rivalry and destruction. “If you play a game, the result of the game should be the outcome. Not destruction,” Mr. Egan said. “You’re then taking the people that did something like that and giving them more importance than the people who played in the game.”
Hockey Captain Sam Ives condemns the action and does not want his hockey team to retaliate. “It’s fun to play Darien because we are always passionate about it,” he said. “I was disappointed because the vandalism disrespects the rivalry.”
Darien High School Principal Ellen Dunn did not respond to multiple requests to comment.
