Reported hazing incident involving Damascus High School JV Football team

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is maryland law but if you read the espn article above you see that this has been going on in for a while. It’s happened in multiple settings and multiple states but it appears that most get off with a slap on the wrist. I’m not saying they shouldn’t be penalized. I just don’t think they should face life in prison. These kids for some reason are the ones that have been chosen to made an example of getting nation wide attention.

No child should face life in prison. That's not justice. And to tolerate or look the other way when hazing like this goes on only to decide now to punish the kids is also a sign that maybe it has something to do with who the father of a victim is, or the skin color of the children who committed the crime.

This should not be swept under the rug, and the adults who allowed it to happen need to be punished. The children who committed the crime also need to be punished, but in a way that is appropriate for children so they get proper treatment and is geared towards their rehabilitation.

I'm disgusted that the idea of life in prison for them is even a thought that people would have.

You are wrong in a lot of this, but most importantly, this is NOT hazing.

This is violent gang rape.

Calling it hazing is starting from the wrong premise.

It's both: hazing and violent gang rape. They don't have to be mutually exclusive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Likely charged as adults because they clearly knew what they were doing, intended what they were doing, knew it was wrong, but carried on because it was “tradition.”

Wrong. They were charged as adults because state law requires it. Any person 14 or above charged with murder, rape, or armed robbery are tried in adult court.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think it could work against them that they are being hailed as virtuous honor students, kind, and patient and with loving families. It makes them look worse because they should know so much better.

Off topic, but I do believe we are being trolled by someone related to the case.

Make sure them look evil and pre-meditative

Just stop with the trolling comments. You don’t know. I have posted painful stories previously and been called a troll. Just because you can’t fathom something happening does not mean it is not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was in USA Today yesterday:

"When the Damascus (Md.) High School junior varsity football team was accused of sexual assault in connection with a hazing incident, it sent shockwaves through the Maryland prep football community. Now that some of the details of the alleged incident have been revealed in court, the sophomore-on-freshmen incident appears even more horrific than ever.
Here’s how the Washington Post described the lead-up to the alleged sexual assaults that occurred in the Damascus locker room, as described in court Monday:
When the sophomore football players entered the freshman locker room, authorities say, one held up a four-foot broom. He pumped his fist and chanted.
Lights went off. The handle of the broom could be heard banging against a wall.
“It’s time,” another sophomore said.
One of the freshmen tried to leave. A sophomore blocked him from doing so.
If the idea of being sodomized by a broom wasn’t already horrific enough, consider that brief foray into a C-rated horror script intended to intimidate a group of freshman football players. Perhaps more significantly, it’s a pretty clear indication that the suspects now in court had an idea about what they were doing.
The four 15-year-old suspects were all released Monday on $20,000 bond.
The school is still awaiting the result of the case against the teens before launching its own investigation into the supervision of the athletes. It remains to be seen what impact that has on the larger Damascus football program, but given the events that apparently transpired in the locker room, it may not reflect too well on whichever coaches are deemed to be responsible for the JV program."

The “it’s time” quote and the stories strongly imply this has been going on for years and it is likely that these perpetrators had it done to them. When you consider that these boys came from other high schools, it means there may be a history of this at more than one school. Parents, talk to your kids. And call the police if you hear of anything else. Do not let MCPS compromise another investigation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Then why cancel just football. The entire school athletics program should be cancelled to send a message to the entire school that this type of behavior is very, very wrong and that no one should even consider it.

Maybe more draconian measures are needed. Cancel all sports and activities in the entire county for a year. This is a county wide issue and a strong message is needed to be used as a deterrent.

Presumably because it was the football team.

True, but the football team is not the only sport that has a issue with hazing. Baseball and LAX have there fair share and incidents throughout the county.


I just do not think the kids that had nothing to do with this should be punished. Now if they had knowledge of the plans then perhaps they are co-conspirators and should talk to law enforcement but what about the freshman kids that had no idea about what was happening because they were on the practice field warming up. Do we remove a year of HS sports from them because their parents moved into the wrong school district. What did the innocent kids do to deserve loosing a year of HS athletics?

Speaking of complacency, if you know of issues with baseball and LAX, YOU need to call the police. NOW. This is starting to remind me of the Catholic priest abuse scandals. I was abused as a child by a popular local baseball coach (not in Maryland or anywhere near the DMV) and often wondered once I grew up how many others had been abused. It was well past the statute of limitations and the perpetrator is long dead. But you can’t casually post that this is going on elsewhere. REPORT it before another child is hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those who think this is a Board of Education problem haven't been to Board of Education meetings and have no idea what you are talking about. Several of them Jill Ortman Fouse as someone mentioned, Rebecca Smondrowsky, Jeanette Dixon, Shebra Evan's and even Pat O'Neill who people here love to vilify, have repeatedly asked the MCPS staff for more information about everything from maintenance orders (thousands outstanding), to numbers enrolled to COSA, etc. Zuckerman and others either give BS answers or say we will get back to you and either don't or again, more BS answers. Zuckerman is the puppet master, a Starr holdover (as someone else mentioned) and needs to go. Along with many other central office staff. Smith is working on this, but apparently not fast enough.

Thank you for this. Why is it tolerated? What is the BoE’s recourse when MCPS administration will not comply with their requests? Do they go to the State of MD GAO or County Exec? Is this not done because of political issues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is maryland law but if you read the espn article above you see that this has been going on in for a while. It’s happened in multiple settings and multiple states but it appears that most get off with a slap on the wrist. I’m not saying they shouldn’t be penalized. I just don’t think they should face life in prison. These kids for some reason are the ones that have been chosen to made an example of getting nation wide attention.

No child should face life in prison. That's not justice. And to tolerate or look the other way when hazing like this goes on only to decide now to punish the kids is also a sign that maybe it has something to do with who the father of a victim is, or the skin color of the children who committed the crime.

This should not be swept under the rug, and the adults who allowed it to happen need to be punished. The children who committed the crime also need to be punished, but in a way that is appropriate for children so they get proper treatment and is geared towards their rehabilitation.

I'm disgusted that the idea of life in prison for them is even a thought that people would have.

Once again, this is NOT hazing... this was RAPE.
Pre-meditated, first-degree RAPE.

I wonder if you'd question if this was hazing if your son came home & had a broomstick forced inside of him??

The kids that did this had violent histories at other schools, NONE of them lived in the Damascus community, NONE of their families live in the Damascus community. Just like MCPS does with their "troubled" teachers, MCPS transferred these troubled kids to a school in order to sweep this under the rug.
Damascus & their community had no idea of their history or who the boys were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is maryland law but if you read the espn article above you see that this has been going on in for a while. It’s happened in multiple settings and multiple states but it appears that most get off with a slap on the wrist. I’m not saying they shouldn’t be penalized. I just don’t think they should face life in prison. These kids for some reason are the ones that have been chosen to made an example of getting nation wide attention.

No child should face life in prison. That's not justice. And to tolerate or look the other way when hazing like this goes on only to decide now to punish the kids is also a sign that maybe it has something to do with who the father of a victim is, or the skin color of the children who committed the crime.

This should not be swept under the rug, and the adults who allowed it to happen need to be punished. The children who committed the crime also need to be punished, but in a way that is appropriate for children so they get proper treatment and is geared towards their rehabilitation.

I'm disgusted that the idea of life in prison for them is even a thought that people would have.

You are wrong in a lot of this, but most importantly, this is NOT hazing.

This is violent gang rape.

Calling it hazing is starting from the wrong premise.

It is hazing. It's also rape. The reason for the rape was hazing. They weren't looking for people downtown to rape, it was a part of a hazing ritual.

[Anonymous]

I hope they pay attention to the Damascus Wrestling coaches and athletes too. I do not know of any hazing, but I was appalled at the unsportsmanlike conduct of their coach last year.

I think all parents of student athletes need to sit their children down and find out what goes on within teams. I was floored to find out that it's a ritual for boy and girl Lacrosse players at our W school to do cocaine together at the beginning of the season.

Riiiiiiight, I'm so sure they're all just blowing lines together, lol.

So which high school do your kids really go to? Einstein? Richard Montgomery? Whichever it is, they must really suck for you to resort to bullsh!t like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is maryland law but if you read the espn article above you see that this has been going on in for a while. It’s happened in multiple settings and multiple states but it appears that most get off with a slap on the wrist. I’m not saying they shouldn’t be penalized. I just don’t think they should face life in prison. These kids for some reason are the ones that have been chosen to made an example of getting nation wide attention.

No child should face life in prison. That's not justice. And to tolerate or look the other way when hazing like this goes on only to decide now to punish the kids is also a sign that maybe it has something to do with who the father of a victim is, or the skin color of the children who committed the crime.

This should not be swept under the rug, and the adults who allowed it to happen need to be punished. The children who committed the crime also need to be punished, but in a way that is appropriate for children so they get proper treatment and is geared towards their rehabilitation.

I'm disgusted that the idea of life in prison for them is even a thought that people would have.

Once again, this is NOT hazing... this was RAPE.
Pre-meditated, first-degree RAPE.

I wonder if you'd question if this was hazing if your son came home & had a broomstick forced inside of him??

The kids that did this had violent histories at other schools, NONE of them lived in the Damascus community, NONE of their families live in the Damascus community. Just like MCPS does with their "troubled" teachers, MCPS transferred these troubled kids to a school in order to sweep this under the rug.
Damascus & their community had no idea of their history or who the boys were.

The Principal should have known. Why were these kids allowed to join the team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is maryland law but if you read the espn article above you see that this has been going on in for a while. It’s happened in multiple settings and multiple states but it appears that most get off with a slap on the wrist. I’m not saying they shouldn’t be penalized. I just don’t think they should face life in prison. These kids for some reason are the ones that have been chosen to made an example of getting nation wide attention.

No child should face life in prison. That's not justice. And to tolerate or look the other way when hazing like this goes on only to decide now to punish the kids is also a sign that maybe it has something to do with who the father of a victim is, or the skin color of the children who committed the crime.

This should not be swept under the rug, and the adults who allowed it to happen need to be punished. The children who committed the crime also need to be punished, but in a way that is appropriate for children so they get proper treatment and is geared towards their rehabilitation.

I'm disgusted that the idea of life in prison for them is even a thought that people would have.

Once again, this is NOT hazing... this was RAPE.
Pre-meditated, first-degree RAPE.

I wonder if you'd question if this was hazing if your son came home & had a broomstick forced inside of him??

The kids that did this had violent histories at other schools, NONE of them lived in the Damascus community, NONE of their families live in the Damascus community. Just like MCPS does with their "troubled" teachers, MCPS transferred these troubled kids to a school in order to sweep this under the rug.
Damascus & their community had no idea of their history or who the boys were.

Maybe it wasn't a hazing ritual. But it seems that it happened on regular basis and that it was done by the older kids to the younger kids on the football team. Two of the victims think the purpose of the rape was to haze younger members of the team. So I feel confident saying that it was hazing.

[Anonymous]

And to the people who are refusing to call this hazing, if we are not going to recognize that things like this can happen during hazing rituals, how are we going to stop it? How do we understand juvenile (and young adult) behavior and combat hazing, which is often severely degrading and humiliating, if we don't admit that extremes like this are what young people are capable of, and even what they will accept? Some people say this is a tradition and has happened before. If that is true, we need to be prepared to admit that children are being raped year after year as part of a hazing ritual in our schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I hope they pay attention to the Damascus Wrestling coaches and athletes too. I do not know of any hazing, but I was appalled at the unsportsmanlike conduct of their coach last year.

I think all parents of student athletes need to sit their children down and find out what goes on within teams. I was floored to find out that it's a ritual for boy and girl Lacrosse players at our W school to do cocaine together at the beginning of the season.

Riiiiiiight, I'm so sure they're all just blowing lines together, lol.

So which high school do your kids really go to? Einstein? Richard Montgomery? Whichever it is, they must really suck for you to resort to bullsh!t like this.

I think the PP was referring to is Churchill. My kids said that happens with LAX.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have read this whole thread and unlike most people in this county, I did actually research the BOE candidates. I purposely didn't vote for incumbents because I have found that they are not competent enough to use a potato gun let alone sit on the BOE. MCPS has done a downward spiral. Yes they just sweep everything under the rug. They are too political and inept. If they would put as much effort into making education, schools and our kids a priority as they do complaining about a flipping school calendar or screwing up the school start times, we may actually have a functioning school.

I am sorry but if you have been to Damascus or played sports at Damascus. If you have played football on the Cougars or if you have had a child who has, you know the mentality. It is all about the football. I am not saying that is a bad thing, but it puts an awful lot of pressure on these kids. Why don't you think the Damascus coaches have been dismissed? The coaches are all about winning. Damascus has a historical record. Well, they have a winning team, folks. Winning teams bring good publicity. People want to be apart of a winning team and that brings money. They made it a point to state varsity wasn't involved despite they didn't cover their tracks because some of those alleged rapists played on varsity for games.

Case and point, Seneca Valley had a team who was "hazing." The coaches were dismissed for lack of supervision. To me, it seemed to happen pretty quickly after the media got wind of it.

Unfortunately, I really don't think that this is the first occurrence of what MCPS, who seems to be in denial that rape occurred, refers to as hazing. Maybe it has not gone to the extent of rape at Damascus in the past, but there were parents who admitted that they knew that some "mild hazing" was tradition on that particular day. Hazing is not a tradition ever. It is a crime. Anyone who turned a blind cheek is responsible and should be ashamed of themselves.

Kudos to those kids who were brave enough to come forward and kudos to whomever leaked it to the media because I guarantee if someone didn't leak it, nothing would be done. I read on social media, so don't quote me, that one of the victims was an officer's child. You think MCPD is not going to investigate this with a fine tooth comb when it comes to an officer's kid being harmed? It doesn't even have to be an MCPD officer. This is not going away and I guarantee that there will be more dirty laundry aired about MCPS when this is all over.

These kids were charged as adults because they found it to be first degree rape. First degree!!!! That means it was premeditated. It was planned. They planned to rape or attempt to rape. That is not group psychology or peer pressure. This was not a caught up in the moment event. There is enough evidence to show it was planned. I understand a 15 year old does not have a fully developed brain until after 21, but they do know right from wrong. Unfortunately, they made a choice to follow through with one of the worst crimes you can possibly commit. I feel for their parents. I feel for the victims and to be honest, I feel for those alleged rapists. They had so much potential and their whole lives ahead of them. In one minute, they made a choice which has basically ruined their lives and the lives of others.

Nobody should be thrilled that they are most likely going to be serving time. Nobody wins here and if you think about it, it is sad all around. However, if they had raped a 4 year old little girl or boy, would we claim they shouldn't be charged as adults? Their victims will suffer a lifetime. Their victims will forever be traumatized and scarred. Unless there is some serious brain damage that prevents them from being able to distinguish right from wrong, they should suffer the consequences.

As for MCPS and Damascus, they should have called it what it was and it wasn't hazing. It is an absolute disgrace that they referred to it as hazing. It was rape. Sending out a video was a piss poor way to deal with any of this. Use peer pressure to make a change. Suspend the whole team for a game, two or a season for anyone caught hazing or bullying. These kids know what is going on. There is talk about what is going to happen. However, parents don't want their poor little Randy to suffer for someone else's actions. Well, maybe if Randy knew that the actions of his teammates affects him as well, he would step up and prevent nonsense like this or tell someone so it can be prevented.

Sexual assaults, bullying, verbal abuse, etc. is not anything new at MCPS. Look at how many child molesters and rapes have occurred throughout the years by staff. The teacher was correct. They don't do constant background checks. They don't concern themselves with the safety of schools and kids. They sweep things under the rug. Have you ever been to a meeting where they bring the school in that your child is going to go to because they want to have a "positive" conversation about how great that school is? That is usually an indication that the school has a tremendous amount of issues. However, instead of addressing it, they are concerned about diversity, jamming more kids into already overcrowded and failing schools and giving the Superintendent as Athletic Director huge salary increases.

The Superintendent is completely ineffective and non-responsive. I have emailed him several times. I have received zero response. Zero. To be honest, I think the taxpayers should be able to vote whether these higher ups get a raise or not. That would increase efficiency.

Our teachers do not have the support they need. Someone was correct. Most of the time, they do not have principals who are leaders. Parents should have the choice to send their kid to a different school when the school in their boundary is overcrowded and not up to par.

You want to know why when one kid is expelled from one school they can just go to another? They shut down the remedial schools because they didn't want to make the kids "feel bad" and God forbid choosing to be PC is so much better than address the actual issue. My child has several kids in his class who have what he calls "anger issues." Yes, there is maybe one that has a true anger issue. The others? Basically, their parents let them do whatever they want and so they have a temper tantrum when someone tells them no. They are violent, disruptive, rude, they bully and it effects my child's ability to learn. Teachers should not have to deal with kids inability to behave or who continuously disrupt learning. They do nothing about bullying. When I was in school, kids who could not behave themselves went to Mark Twain. It wasn't for some 45 day stint either. Yes, this is the BOE who you continue to elect who continue to make decisions that place your child in jeopardy.

The curriculum is ridiculous. Teachers have complained about it, but MCPS still does nothing. In the schools that have more minorities, are more poverty stricken and/or have a high level of non-English speaking kids, teachers don't send home homework. Why? Because the parents can't help them, not involved and therefore the homework is not returned. Instead of creating programs to help these kids excel. reducing the number of students in that school and setting expectations so they can better assist kids, they continue to overcrowd the school, reduce the work to make it easier and that makes their scores look a little better. In the event that your child is on a higher level, he or she suffers the setback too.

MCPS hasn't done a boundary study in centuries...yes centuries. They say they know they need a school here and there, but they haven't done a boundary study? Did you realize that MCPS puts kids on a bus ride that is an hour or more one way to certain schools when there is a school that is maybe a 20-30 minute ride? When you bring it to their attention, they tell you to have your child take a phone to pass the time. We need a complete overhaul of boundaries.

Someone mentioned that they have all of this money but have not built a new school? Why build a new school? It is cheaper to shove your kids in portables right? Have you seen the number of portables at some of these schools? It is completely asinine.

Nothing is going to change until we start demanding changes. We need to start attending the BOE meetings to let the BOE know that we are watching and put pressure on them to actually do what they were elected to do. In addition, we need to start voting the people who continue to put politics before our childrens' education, safety and well being out of office.

I agree 100% with every single thing you have written. I am a parent with kids in MCPS and am very involved, both as a school volunteer and in the PTA. I hear this from many teachers and it has definitely been what I have experienced in MCPS.

I voted for a real change agent in the last election (not the most recent) - Jill Ortman Fouse. She did not run for reelection. She fought for more accountability, and the lengths she had to go to in order to get answers from the system is appalling. Read her FB posts. I hope she writes a book. I also agree with the prior posters, and it is tragic.

Agree.

[Anonymous]

Jack Smith simply needs to go. He will not protect the children from predators.