The high school is investigating a possible hazing incident involving the girls’ field hockey team, the school principal confirmed this week.
“It has been brought to the attention of the administration that last Friday evening members of the girls field hockey team participated in a team building activity,” principal Sara Dingledy said in a letter that went out to parents and school committee members. “Multiple members of the team left on Friday feeling uncomfortable with the activities that took place. While we do not believe the activities were planned with malintent, it has been determined that this was indeed a form of hazing.”
According to the letter, coaches were present during the activity. Ms. Dingledy told the Gazette that following interviews with coaches and players about the incident, the administration would be taking disciplinary action against a coach, but she declined to specify further details.
“We want to take a proportional, appropriate and message-sending action while still also keeping in mind that we can use this time for education to get better as a school and to send a message that whatever the history of the program, these types of actions are unacceptable,” Ms. Dingledy said.
High school athletic director Mark McCarthy said he believes the incident was primarily a matter of poor judgment. He said no drugs or alcohol were involved, and no one was physically injured, but he declined to describe the activities in detail.
“It was more humiliation,” he said.
“I don’t think anybody wanted to harm anyone, but ... whenever we feel like something was taking place that falls in this description, we must act on it,” he said.
The team played its game Wednesday afternoon as scheduled.
The school committee will meet Monday afternoon, but chairman Kris O’Brien said the issue does not fall under the committee’s purview.
“We oversee budget, evaluation of the superintendent, and policy,” she said. “I trust the administration to handle personnel issues.”
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