Several 10th graders on the King Philip Regional High School football team partook in boxing sessions during what administrators at the Wrentham, Massachusetts, school are calling a hazing incident.
In a letter sent to the school community on Monday, school officials said that the incidents that happened in August at a football camp in Naples, Maine, "meet both the legal definition of hazing and the criteria in the KP Handbook." That conclusion was reached by an investigation by the school district, following reports of an alleged hazing incident at the camp.
The hazing involved boxing matches between several 10th graders, who were chosen to participate by several upperclassmen, the letter said. There weren't any coaches around during the boxing matches. No one was reported hurt.
During the investigation, administrators spoke with players, families and the head coach of the varsity team.
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The district said it is taking action by putting in place leadership training for coaches and captains, as well as hazing and bystander training for all players and coaches.
King Philip Regional School District is also considering whether or not it will give the okay to offsite camps in the future.
"We aim to foster an inclusive, welcoming environment and the actions of those at the football camp completely contradict the work we are trying to do," the letter signed by Principal Nicole Bottomley and Superintendent Dr. Rich Drolet said. "We view this as a very serious matter and have taken appropriate action."
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The school district will be in touch with the MIAA to provide leadership training.
