October 29, 2014 • Football

Team hazing allegedly included ’waterboarding’

Hazing allegations have ended another high school football team’s season, this time in Pennsylvania.

The Intelligencer reports that the Central Bucks West High School football team has been suspended following allegations of “waterboarding” and other hazing rituals.

From the article:

Superintendent David P. Weitzel said Thursday in a statement to the community that the season has been officially suspended and that the two remaining games will not be played. Weitzel said that the school conducted an internal investigation into allegations of “improper conduct by numerous Central Bucks West football team members.” He mentioned the “failure of the coaching staff to properly supervise activities.”

Central Bucks Regional Police Chief James Donnelly said that on Wednesday police investigated allegations of hazing involving younger players by seniors on the team. He said towels were placed over the heads of the younger players, who were then sent into the showers. He said there is no indication of criminal activity.

Weitzel said that the majority of players were involved in the “offensive and disrespectful actions in what were supposed to be preseason team-building activities.” He said that new players were involved in humiliating and inappropriate initiations which included making a rookie player grab another player’s private parts while fully clothed.

Waterboarding is a torture technique, one that sparked a national debate for its repeated use on prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Definitely not something that should be used in high schools.

The superintendent also said that all members of the varsity and junior varsity coaching staffs are suspended. The story notes that several of them are also teachers in the school but it didn’t clarify whether this would affect their classroom positions.

A New Jersey school ended its football team’s season just a few weeks ago amid hazing allegations. That story can be read here.


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