A hearing is scheduled before the Supreme Judicial Court in April on the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Associations appeal of a lower court injunction that permitted the former Woburn player to compete this year for another MIAA schools football and basketball teams after the MIAA denied his waiver request for a fifth year of eligibility. Full statement: "On Wednesday, Oct. 13, the Woburn Police Department received a complaint involving members of a Woburn High School sports team regarding an incident earlier in the school year. "I think the parents need to take action, I feel like parents need to be more involved and acknowledge who their kids friends are and just know their kids' temperament," Austin shared. He also serves as a substitute teacher in the school. While school officials told the Globe their response was "comprehensive and thorough" and the DA's Office said there is an ongoing investigation, the family said it is outraged at what they say was relatively light school discipline against the football players involved in the assault and the lack of any criminal charges at those they say are responsible for the assault and ensuing harassment. Belcher, who with Callanan hired Andrews in 2021, remains, as does Duran, who supervises the football coaches and also is considered responsible for player safety. "The Woburn Police Department and Woburn Public Schools will continue to work together to ensure the safety of all students. The three-year initiative is called Transforming Narratives of Gun Violence. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. In Danvers, a member of the boys hockey program publicly accused teammates of using racial slurs and engaging in homophobic hazing with a sex toy during the 2019-2020 season. Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe.. racial slurs and engaging in homophobic hazing, Danvers High wrestling program was suspended. They're spirits of loved ones, Bill needs a kidney: Tyngsboro man searches for lifesaving donor, Lowell Catholic boys basketball team blows out Belchertown, No end in sight for case involving Dracut doc charged with patient's death, Toddler safe, car theft suspects apprehended, MVC girls basketball: Dracut's Ashlee Talbot named Div. The Couceles family reported the assault to police in October. It's not good. While arraignments have begun in Lowell Juvenile Court for seven Woburn students, including five football players, charged with assaulting Coucelos, his parents say the report underscores that Woburn school officials head football coach Jack Belcher, athletic director Jim Duran, and principal Jessica Callanan, among them failed to adequately protect their son. Hes suffering, and were trying to bring him back to normal, but its going to be very hard, said Kevin Coucelos, who with his wife, Jeanny, has four school-aged children. Belcher told Hanley he had left the building before the incident. THE MAYOR GOES ON TO SAY IM CONCERNED THIS HAPPENED, AND CONCERNED BY REPORTS THAT OTHER STUDENTS STOOD BY AND DID NOT INTERVENE. The former Woburn player asserted the waiver was warranted in part because of the trauma he allegedly endured in Belchers program. But, the former student said, he soon became disturbed by Belchers coaching methods, which he described as abusive. OVERALL 7-4 0.64 Win %. Two other Woburn students allegedly accosted Coucelos later, he said. It did explain that additional details were not released because of the ages of those involved. Run by Black journalists at The Boston Globe, Black News Hour, a new radio program, delivers reliable news that connects with our community and expands on deeper issues impacting our city. At BC, he was a 6-foot-4-inch, 270-pound football center and team cocaptain under coach Jack Bicknell, snapping the ball to quarterback Doug Flutie. He was called a snitch. ", Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. HOME3-3 AWAY4-0 NEUTRAL0-1. Due to the ages of those involved, no additional information is available at this time. The student said he felt ill and experienced a lingering headache, but he did not seek treatment from the team athletic trainer for fear of being further characterized as weak. His new school joined in seeking the waiver and injunction. Woburn, MA Police are pursuing criminal charges against seven students at Woburn Memorial High School after a freshman football player, 14-year-old Johnathan Callanan said in an e-mail, I can reaffirm that I acted appropriately throughout my handling of the familys claims and that much of the information provided to you to date, and which you have printed, is inaccurate.. PF343 PA206 STREAK2W. "The Woburn Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorneys Office are currently investigating the incident. Multiple criminal complaints have been filed against several New Jersey high school students following two probes into allegations of rampant abuse and hazing. Support GBH. Crowley said the school district consulted with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and had a consultant from the Anti-Hazing collaborative work with all of their winter sports coaches. A video of the incident allegedly shows members of the Haverhill High School football team hazing a teenage boy. The moments before were obstructed from view by the crowd gathered around. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Haverhill High School students who saw the video said the lewd acts shown on that video happened in the locker room of the school's football stadium, Trinity Stadium. Bob Hohler can be reached at robert.hohler@globe.com. KYMA KECY is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. It was very nasty. They stated in their civil complaint that they reported the incident to the principal, Jessica Callanan, soon after it occurred. An investigation into that incident found players violated the school and athletic code of conduct, but that the actions did not legally rise to the level of bullying or hazing. It's a sad situation and hopefully they figure out what happened and it doesn't happen again. Coucelos, who is 14, told Jim Braude on Greater Boston Monday that his life has changed drastically since the attack, and the harassment has not stopped. Crowley, in a letter to the community this month, said the district has retained an outside law firm to conduct a Title IX investigation of the Coucelos incident, which will be followed by an administrative review and policy analysis by a separate outside agency. "We need to determine how this happened and what we can do so that this never happens again," Fiorentini said. Couceles says a student pulled down his sons pants and groped his genitals. Coucelos reported the violent incidents to coaches and the police who did not take enough action. "As school leaders, we acknowledge and have offered support to the student and family that had the strength to come forward to report this deeply troubling matter," the superintendent wrote. It's not good for our school. The superintendent said in his letter Tuesday that Woburn Public Schools has retained outside private counsel -- the law firm of Butters Brazilian LLP and Attorney Patrick Hanley -- to conduct a comprehensive Title IX investigation, which remains ongoing. I told Belcher hes an adult bully and shouldnt be coaching anybodys kids, the parent said. Hazing in sports has long served as sort of an initiation rite, juvenile for the most part, not demeaning and vicious in nature. "This is an active and ongoing investigation. We're live in Woburn. Bob Hohler can be reached at robert.hohler@globe.com. His complaint says Belcher witnessed the incident but reprimanded neither the assailant nor numerous players who taunted the alleged victim with vulgarities, insinuating he was soft.. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe.". WOBURN SENIOR FOOTBALL CAPTAINS (l-r) Derek Dabrieo, Jake Daniell, Derek Baccari, Anthony Palmieri and Yahya Aksadi. ""The boys involved in this disgusting incident should be immediately permanently removed from the team," the mayor said in his statement. Then I saw it boil over into the locker room because it caused kids to literally hate each other and fight off the field.. The Woburn hazing accusations are the latest in a series of troubling charges of inappropriate behavior within high school athletic programs in Greater Boston. The Haverhill School Committee was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday. Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. Hanley presented his investigative findings to Carl Nelson, a Woburn middle school principal designated as the decision maker for a federally mandated Title IX review of Couceloss sexual misconduct complaint. The report said the freshman was then harassed for months both physically and through text messages, leading to him dropping out of school out of fear for his own safety. In his letter, Crowley said the incident that occurred this past September involved student athletes and included allegations of physical and sexual abuse of a student by their teammates. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. The investigation found Coucelos also was assaulted in his Spanish classroom by a former football player who accused him of snitching and was punched in a school bathroom by a student who chided him for not defending himself more forcefully during the locker room assault. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. In April, seven Woburn High School students were charged after a 14-year-old football player reported being attacked and sexually assaulted by his teammates in September 2021. He says there needs to be more accountability. CNN A high school near Pennsylvanias capital has canceled its upcoming football season over reports of hazing by members of the schools football team. "He just wants to be by himself all the time. Join us. In a statement shared Wednesday evening, Fiorentini said he received a call from Haverhill Public Schools Superintendent Margaret Marotta, briefing him on a hazing incident at the high school. Woburn school officials were aware of alleged bullying in the high school football program for several years before 14-year-old freshman Johnathan Coucelos was attacked by a swarm of teammates in the locker room last fall, according to court records and interviews with former players and parents. Hire A Woburn Area Pro To Get A Head Start On Spring Cleaning. "Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment or retaliation in any form," the message reads. #ada-button-frame { That week, the Woburn Police Department and Middlesex District Attorney announced they were investigating the incident. Woburn likes to cover things up, said Kevin Coucelos, Johnathans father and a lifelong resident. }Customer Service, An inexperienced and ill-trained volunteer assistant football coach failed to inform his supervisors at Woburn Memorial High School after a 14-year-old freshman player, Johnathan Coucelos, reported last fall that he was jumped by teammates in a locker room, according to. REPORTER: THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AND LOCKER ROOM IS 10 MINUTES OFF-CAMPUS. Its hard to watch but Kevin Couceles says cellphone video shared on social media shows his son being assaulted in the locker room of Woburn Memorial High School after a football game last September. I FEEL BAD. I want to cry every time I see that. "We need to determine how this happened and what we can do so that this never happens again," Fiorentini said. Officials in Woburn said Saturday that authorities are The middlesex county district attorney's office says woburn police notified them about the allegations, and are investigating. And at some point, he had to leave the school for his safety. READINGS MATT BLASI (83) reaches to make a catch before Woburns Travis Kanoni (4) can move in. THE FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF IS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. Because the investigation involves minors, both the Woburn Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorneys Office told NBC10 Boston they cannot provide information about the case. The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office has said they have been notified of the incident by woburn police. Ten football captains six seniors and four juniors circulated a letter to news outlets, saying they were not trying to minimize any allegations that are being investigated by the proper people., In fact, we all condemn bullying of any kind, the captains wrote. Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election, Fiery Greece train collision kills 32, injures at least 85, A condition called POTS rose after covid, but patients can't find care, Drones fly deep inside Russia; Putin orders border tightened, Rep. Lauren Boebert Gets Absolutely Schooled By Jamie Raskin Using Trump's Own Words, SoCal storm timeline: More snow, heavier rain expected Wednesday, The Killer New Volvos Will Leave You Breathless, See how your Pennsylvania county ranks on voter friendliness with this interactive scorecard, SpaceX launches second-generation Starlink internet satellites. "It was pretty nasty, making us look bad. He told Hanley he took no action after Coucelos reported he was jumped because he saw no visible injuries and no need to pry further.. Haverhill High School is shutting down all football activities, canceling all future practices and forfeiting the Thanksgiving Day game, due to an alleged hazing incident involving some members of the school's team. One football player was accused of indecent assault for allegedly yanking down Johnathans pants and touching his genitals in the locker room episode. Many Woburn residents have expressed anger that Belcher permitted three of the alleged assailants, including the player facing a possible indecent assault charge, to remain on the football team through a prestigious Thanksgiving week game at Fenway Park. But off the field, an investigation is underway, Sources tell News Center Five Police are investigating whether a juvenile was hazed and sexually assaulted at the school in an incident involving the football team. The Globe reported on Saturday that the freshman said he was attacked in a locker room and grabbed by the genitals in an incident caught on video following a September game. "Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe. Parents of the boy who allegedly was kicked in 2018 also faulted the school administration. "We are committed to a thorough, multifaceted fact finding operation, and we pledge to be forthcoming regarding the results of those investigations and to enact their findings and recommendations., "As these investigations remain active and ongoing, we will continue to allow that process to unfold," he added. The video appears to show three boys one of them wearing a Haverhill football shirt dragging another teen across the floor of a locker room. Asked to cite an inaccuracy, Callanan did not respond. The family also asked Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association to take action against Woburn school officials for allegedly violating MIAA rules on hazing, fighting, and sportsmanship, among others. "We acknowledge and support the student and family that had the strength to come forward to report this deeply troubling matter," Woburn Superintendent of Schools Matt Crowley told the Globe. "Saturday's statement did not provide details about the nature of the allegation and did not specifically mention the football team. ", The teen was joined by his parents Kevin and Jeanny and his lawyer Peter Hahn, who said the school failed Coucelos. But conflicting witness statements prevented Nelson from establishing who groped Coucelos, he stated. It was very nasty. Attempts to reach Belcher, Duran, and Andrews were unsuccessful. WE HAVE BLURRED THE LEWD AND VIOLENT SCENEAT LEAST ONE PERSON -- SCENE. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 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