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[The Crossland High School principal] was aware, as well as the press [and] the Prince George's County school system, of the rivalry between Crossland and Potomac ["Football community aims to heal after Crossland incident," Nov. 5]. I don't care what kind of program they attempt to put in place, that rivalry will not change.

I went to H.D. Woodson High School, and we had a rivalry between us and Dunbar. It existed then and still exists. There is no difference between them and the professional [teams]. For anyone to say football is an educational experience and that they should all play nice, they should have their heads examined because football is a contact sport and learning tool.

What the principal has done is to further the process of blackballing the school, killing what self-esteem the kids had, ruining the reputation and yet all in good faith, so he thinks. He is an ineffective principal and leader. Yes, the kids were wrong, but he punished the entire team. Nothing was done to Potomac nor has the school made any bad press. There was [a] similar [but] bigger brawl between Laurel High School and High Point High School. No coaches were fired, no students were suspended and neither was their scheduled canceled.

I am sick and tired of the school system taking a paintbrush and painting the entire school with it. No, Crossland is not best school in the county. It is not about how many games you win; it is how you play the games. These kids were dedicated despite the many losses. Coach [Eric] Knight was a dedicated coach. They were all aware of the rivalry between the teams, but no one out of the so-called concerned opted to get additional police presence or the principal, and he is supposed to be a pal. What a joke.

Darlene Prather, Temple Hills