AG's Office Launches Probe Into Danvers Hockey Hazing Charges

DANVERS, MA — The state Attorney General's Office is investigating how Danvers Public Schools officials handled accusations of racist and homophobic hazing within the high school boys hockey program over the past two years.

The Boston Globe reported that Maura Healey's office confirmed that "a preliminary review has now triggered a formal investigation."

Healey said in November her office was "looking for more information" about the accusations and the district's response.

"The hate, bigotry, trauma we're seeing in high school sports makes me so sad — and angry," Healey said in a statement at the time. "It's a commentary on our times and what adults are modeling. It's not OK.

"School leaders, athletic coaches, and administrators need to respond swiftly, be transparent and support victims."

State Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem) said at the time she supported the probe.

"I look forward to a thorough investigation by (Healey's office) and work of Danvers leaders and the Human Rights & Inclusion Committee to ensure that our schools provide safe environments for our students to learn and thrive," Lovely said.

The accusations caused passions to boil within the town that has dealt with a long succession of racist, homophobic and antisemitic incidents over the past two years both within the schools and in the greater community.

The hockey accusations involve locker room hazing rituals that included racist language and the use of a sex toy to abuse younger members of the program who did not fall in line with the behavior.

The School Committee and Superintendent Lisa Dana, who has been on medical leave since December, said that an internal, police and independent investigation took place over the year following the accusations, but that privacy laws prevented officials from revealing the graphic details of what was accused and any discipline enforced among students and coaches.

"We have reflected upon the events of the past year, including the conflict between the public's desire for as much transparency as possible in everything we do and our obligation to uphold the legal rights to individual privacy of our students and staff," the School Committee said in a collective statement in November, "which require that certain information remain confidential in order to meet these legal obligations.

"We cannot make public any consequential action taken with regard to employees or students. As such matters fall squarely within statutory privacy law, it is not appropriate to comment further on these."

Dana talked about the mental burden the controversy had taken on herself, her staff and her family during a School Committee meeting in December before taking the medical leave shortly before the return from Christmas break.

"When the recent media created a firestorm of opinions that we legally aren't allowed to comment on it became an increasingly difficult situation," Dana said in a statement to the School Committee before taking her medical leave. "One that has taken a toll on students, staff and me, as well as a community as a whole.

"I understand there is a natural curiosity for people to know every detail of situations, but in this case, it simply isn't legally possible."

Keith Taverna and Mary Wermers have acted as co-acting superintendents since January — a contract that two weeks ago was extended through at least May 31.

"Starting with the initial outreach to the school department, the district has been receptive to the review process initiated by the Attorney General’s office," Taverna and Wermers said in a joint statement to Patch on Thursday. "We have made ourselves available to answer all of their questions, we have provided all documentation that has been requested of us, and we are prepared to implement recommendations that may follow."

Taverna notified the School Committee he is leaving the district at the end of the school year for another opportunity.

The district has taken steps to improve the culture within the schools, including recent information sessions for student-athletes, coaches and families on how to recognize and report hazing incidents.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)