Supporters accuse school of racial insensitivity after football coach is fired

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ (WTXF) - A football coach at Camden Catholic High School is losing his job. His supporters are accusing the school and administrators of racial insensitivity.

Students and parents gathered on school grounds Monday morning to stand with Nicholas Strom. He is a history teacher and football coach.

"Because he stands up for these children, he's being targeted," parent Terrance Ware said.

This parent says "race" is in-play.

"Basically, he's been told his team needs to be more white," Ware explained.

Strom is a young coach who's lost only 2 games in 3 seasons, according to his supporters.

FOX 29 obtained a letter Strom received on Friday from the school telling him he's not coming back next year for among other issues, including

-- Dress code violations

-- Disrespect to the school's president.

-- And, leaving his class to go speak with a college coach.

A source tells FOX 29, Stom's union rep. barred him from speaking with reporters Monday.

His father directed us to his son's former coach and mentor.

"If Camden Catholic is bringing up issue like too many minority kids on his team--shame on them," Former high school coach TY Belford said. "Did he tell you that's what they had done?" FOX 29's Jeff Cole asked. Belford replied, "He said he was having a problem with some of the treatment of some of the minority players."

Camden Catholic's President declined an interview in a statement she confirmed Strom's firing and wrote:

"...he has chosen to muddy the reasons for his dismissal with baseless accusations against the school and administration. Any concern about racism or racial insensitivity is taken seriously and investigated fully."

Strom who was asked to resign Friday, according to sources, returned Monday to say he would not quit and was asked to leave the school.

"I think a really important person in my son's life is being persecuted and I don't know the reasons," parent Matthew Janda said.