Three students are being disciplined, while a celebrated school basketball program has been suspended as a result of an alleged hazing incident at Fatima Academy in St. Bride’s, The Telegram has learned.
The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District (NLESD) confirmed Wednesday a hazing incident was said to have occurred at the beginning of the school year and that school administration became aware of it last Friday.
According to a statement issued by the NLESD following inquiries by The Telegram, it was reported that three male students on the school’s basketball team “engaged in inappropriate behaviour” toward a fourth team member.
It said the school is investigating and applying “school-based discipline where appropriate.”
“The (district) does not tolerate hazing of any kind, whether it occurs on school property, during school hours, or not,” it stated.
The school board wouldn’t provide details of the alleged incident and, citing school board privacy policy and the Schools Act, said it could not disclose the nature of the discipline. The district said such information forms part of the student record and is shared only with parents.
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When contacted by The Telegram, Fatima school principal Darlene Walsh opted not to comment, noting a statement would be released by the school district.
The school board confirmed that the school’s basketball team activities have also been suspended while the students involved complete a character education program “which focuses on respectful behaviour, restorative justice and the consequences of hazing activities.”
Hazing, which is described as the practice of playing unpleasant tricks on someone or forcing someone to do unpleasant things, is usually part of a ritual people are subjected to before they are allowed to become members of a group.
But the father of the boy who was the target of the alleged hazing incident said he was sad to hear about what happened and wasn’t going to rest until something was done.
“I’m not taking this lightly,” said the man, to whom The Telegram granted anonymity in order to protect his son’s identity.
“People are afraid to talk and I’m going to tell you something here right now — I’m not afraid to talk. … It’s ridiculous what’s going on.”
He said a teacher informed him last Friday about the incident. He said his son didn’t say anything about it at first because he didn’t want to get anyone in trouble.
“He didn’t want anything to do with (reporting it) because these were his friends, the people he hangs around with,” said the man, who added his son didn’t want to talk to The Telegram about it either.
“He just wants to leave it in the past.”
While neither the school nor the school district would confirm the nature of the event, the father said the boys held his son down, pulled down their pants and exposed their rear ends in front of his face in the school locker room.
The father said the mother of one of the boys took measures herself last Friday when she heard what had happened and had her son go to their house to apologize to his son.
“Now, that’s (good) parenting,” he said.
“I’m glad it was noticed and it was taken care of.” — father of hazing victim
He said he had hoped further action would be taken by the school and the school board.
During the phone conversation with The Telegram, the father received a call from the NLESD, informing him of the measures being taken.
“I’m glad it was noticed and it was taken care of,” he said afterward. “And I’m hoping the followup program will help educate the children and (teach them) the dos and don’ts and to have respect.”
If anything, he said he hopes speaking out about this incident will help prevent anything like it from happening at the school again.
Meanwhile, he’s saddened that the basketball program is on hiatus.
Fatima Academy has produced some of the most renowned basketball players in the province, including the National Basketball League’s St. John’s Edge star Carl English, along with former Memorial University Sea-Hawks standout Jenine Browne.
With a student population of just over 50 — fewer than two dozen at the high school level — the K-12 school’s high school team was ranked No. 2 by the Newfoundland and Labrador Basketball Association in the 2017-18 school year.
Twitter: TelyRosie
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