To: NAACP (New London Chapter)

From: Tommy Thompson, Principal

RE: Information provided per NAACP request for information
Date: 3/1/18

The following reflects student interviews regarding an incident at an NLHS vs.
Waterford Basketball Game on 2/24/18 (names of students have been redacted)

Students were provided the following prompt: Tell me about what happened
Saturday night at the game?

STUDENT 1 OF 4

Mikey Buscetto blew a layup and we cheered.

He (Mr. Buscetto) walked over to us and said, ?Shut the fuck up."

I said, "We are only kids, it's a basketball game.?

Mr. Buscetto replied, "Who the fuck are you talking to?"

When our Athletic Director came over to us to push us back, students told him, and he walked over to
Mr. Buscetto and said something.

STUDENT 2 OF 4

We were cheering when Mr. Buscetto yelled at us "shut the fuck up,? after Waterford turned over the
ball.

Student 1 OF 4 said, "Are you serious? You are talking to a bunch of 16 year olds, come on, you're a
grown man!?

Mr. Buscetto replied, ?Who the fuck are you talking to??
Student 1 OF 4 replied, "To you!" "You?re a grown man, cursing at 16 year olds.?
Mr. Buscetto replied, "Then call the cops!?

From that point, he continued to repeat, "Shut the fuck up? throughout the game.

Student 3 OF 4 said to Mr. Buscetto, "If you really have a problem with us, go to another section if we
are that much of a problem."

Mr. Buscetto replied, can do what the fuck I want.?

There were a bunch of other Waterford parents with Mr. Buscetto that witnessed the verbal exchange.
I went to a black man, an event staff, and told him "Can you get him, he?s cursing at us.?

He replied, "0k, just get behind the line and went over and whispered something to him (Mr. Buscetto).

After that, he continued swearing at us, I am not sure if the staff member heard, it seemed they were
more concerned about us crossing the line than someone swearing at us.

The Waterford student section had only 1 security with them.

I also talked to a white event staff member that kicked a student out of the game. I pointed at Mr.
Buscetto and said, "That man is continually cursing at us, it?s not okay.? He replied, "Okay, and walked
away.?

During the 4th quarter I said "Fletcher, he?s really cursing at us, he said ?who the fuck do we think we
are?? and 'shut the fuck up.? I told Fletcher that I told event staff.

There was nothing else I could have done, itjust wasn?t going to stop.

I was trying to calm (student 3 OF 4) down.

STUDENT 3 OF 4

Mr. Buscetto was talking to his son saying ?Mikey, don?t make that pass,? so I mimicked him saying the
same thing to Mikey. Then I heard several people behind me saying, ?Mr. Buscetto told you to shut the
fuck up!? And I said ?ok, that?s fine.? Later Mr. Buscetto was complaining about a call and I was
laughingjust to get under his skin. He stared at me and i stared back. A couple times, I told him ?the
Waterford side is right over there.? I was not sure why out of the whole gymnasium he chose to sit next
to the NL fan section. Also, during the game, Waterford felt the need for 4 security guards and 2 police
officers to stand next to the NL section to make sure they didn?t cross a yellow line near the stands.
However, with the maximum security on us, they did not hold Mr. Buscetto to the same standard. 50
when he crossed the line, I reminded him, "Buscetto! The line! Don?t go past the line!? After a while, he
walked over to Mr. Fletcher and pointed in my direction to talk to me. The following day I saw Mr.
Fletcher and asked him what he said about me. He (Mr. Fletcher), said Buscetto said something along
the lines of ?that kid is crazy.?

STUDENT 4 OF 4

Student 3 OF 4 said something to Mr. Buscetto.

Mr. Buscetto replied, ?Shut the fuck up.?

Student 1 OF 4 said, "Why are you talking to 16 year olds like this??
Mr. Buscetto replied, ?Who are you??

I think it was the heat of the moment.