Parents of players on the Fort Frances Muskies boys hockey team have written the Rainy River District School Board regarding the recent suspension of two team members.

The two were removed for the entire season following what the parents describe as “uttering undesirable and disrespectful language” toward on-ice officials during a tournament game in Steinbach last month.

The parents write with concern that the punishment was too harsh.

They add Hockey Northwestern Ontario weighed in on the issue, handing out five-game suspensions and requiring the players to write apologies to the referee.

“The concern that has been raised by many parents on the team is that the harsh punishment of being removed from the team for the remainder of the season is beyond what many consider appropriate for the indiscretion exhibited in their quick verbal outburst towards the referee,” states the letter.

The Board’s Code of Conduct, which sets standards for student behaviour, notes a range of consequences for “any student who demonstrates behaviour inconsistent with Rainy River District School Board policy.”

This includes loss of privileges, detention, making restitution, suspension from school or expulsion.