Football Players' Behavior 'Inappropriate'; Not School's Job to Determine Whether It Was Hazing

Swampscott Public Schools has announced its decision regarding the Friday, Sept. 25 incident that led to the cancellation of the Oct. 1 freshman football game and the Oct. 3 varsity game against Saugus.

“It is important to note at the outset that a school investigation is not required to follow the same standards and procedures as a police investigation,” the memo to players’ parents from High School Principal Superintendent Edward J. Rozmiarek reads. “As a school, our focus is on whether the behavior of our students is respectful, supportive, and safe.”

In the memo, Rozmiarek notes that he”[does] not need” to determine whether the events of Friday night qualified as ”hazing,” as that term has legal ramifications and falls under the purview of the police and the district attorney should they choose to pursue the matter.

“It is enough for me to determine that the activity was inappropriate under the Swampscott Public Schools Code of Conduct and general expectations for our students.

>>>> Click here to read the full text of the memo sent to football players’ parents.

According to the memo, which notes that it is “an explanation of the facts, investigation, and decision” into the Sept. 25 incident, a police officer arrived at the Swampscott High School practice field (Blocksidge Field) to find a crowd of students and five players who were completely undressed and performing a variety of exercises as the crowd yelled a comments ranging from “encouragement to obscenities.”

Police broke up the gathering and some participants scattered while about 20-30 individuals stayed and gave their names to police.

Once Superintendent Pamela Angelakis was alerted to the situation, she and other members of school administration and staff conducted interviews with a number of players, including captains and the five “victims.”

According to the memo:

The result of our interviews with students was generally consistent. It is “understood” among the players that, as sophomores, they are “invited” to participate in a gathering that has been called the “Sophomore 50,” in reference to the gathering at the 50-yard line. The students gather, the sophomore players disrobe, and they perform the exercises or drills at the direction of upper class players. None of the students who were interviewed reported that they felt harassed, belittled, endangered or in any other way upset by the incident. Two older members of the team said that in their sophomore years they chose not to participate in the “Sophomore 50,” and they have felt no repercussions from that refusal. This incident has been described as team-building, bonding, or simply a “tradition.”

Rozmiarek said in the memo that he has been unable to determine from the interviews how long the “tradition” had been in place, but that has no bearing on his determination that “this activity – whether or not a ’tradition’ – is not the kind of behavior that we expect of our students and student-athletes.”

He said that it seemed the majority of the football team participated in the event and so the decision was made to discipline the team by requiring the forfeiture of one game this season -- the Oct. 3 game against Saugus. Additionally, the captains will be removed from their roles as captains of the football team.

“I believe that the captains were aware that this event took place on an annual basis,” the memo states. “At any time, they could have reached out to a coach, the athletic director, a parent, or any other trusted adult, to raise concern about this inappropriate activity. That did not happen.”

Swampscott’s athletic director will be implementing leadership training for the captains of all team sports and anti-hazing education will become a requirement for all Swampscott athletes, the memo reads.

Rozmiarek also noted that ”Individual students who we find were leaders of this activity will be disciplined privately.”

Editor’s note: The memo sent to parents was signed by Principal Rozmiarek while a shorter, but similar memo sent to press was from Superintendent Angelakis’ office. Patch was working from the parent memo and so has updated the above to reflect Rozmiarek as the speaker.

What do you think? Was this matter handled appropriately?