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Hazing videos rock Haverhill High School, football season canceled amid probe into 'disgusting incident'

'The players directly involved in this disgusting incident should be immediately removed from the team,' Haverhill Mayor James J Fiorentini said

HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS: Haverhill High School on Wednesday, November 16 completely scrapped the football season, including forfeiting the Thanksgiving Day game, after an alleged hazing incident came to light. The public high school also sent coaching staff on paid leave following the circulation of numerous videos, showing sexual assault and hazing carried out by team members. Multiple videos have apparently surfaced but "but it isn’t yet clear whether there was more than one incident," WHAV.net reported.

A probe has reportedly been launched into the matter. Boston 25 television reported that police have told them that they have watched “a video that appears to show three young men, one wearing a Haverhill football shirt, dragging another individual across a floor and pulling his clothes off. A fourth individual, only wearing underwear shorts, stands over the victim’s head and twerks into the victim’s face for 10 seconds while the others scream and cheer.”

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In a statement, Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta said, “Given the seriousness of the misconduct, the district has decided to end the current football season—cancelling all future practices and forfeiting future games. Out of an abundance of caution, members of the coaching staff have been placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation.”

Marotta noted that the probe is progressing and “significant material was uncovered today which impacts the direction of the investigation and the entire school community,” before adding, “Haverhill Public Schools will not tolerate hazing, harassment or retaliation in any form. Any such misconduct will be responded to swiftly and it will undoubtedly have lasting repercussions for all of those involved.”

Mayor James J Fiorentini also shed light on the decision as he stated, “The players directly involved in this disgusting incident should be immediately removed from the team and never be allowed to play high school football. There is no place on our teams or on any team for disgusting hazing such as this. Parents deserve to know when they send their kids to play high school sports that their children will be safe.” It has been said that Fiorentini has also watched one of those clips.

Meanwhile, some students and locals have spoken up about the incident with NBC10 Boston. Student Elliot Batista explained: “It was gross, it was dirty, it was disgusting. I didn’t like what I had seen, I didn’t know what to say.” Another student Felix Molina mentioned, “So, it’s a good start for them canceling all their games, forfeiting is a good way to show that now we’re learning our lesson, now we’re taking it a step forward to the matter of us doing dumb things.” Besides, grandmother Laurie Cross added as reported by CBS News: “For them to think that they can get away with something like that it's just a shame, horrible.”

People on Twitter also have expressed their views as a person wrote, “Sad for those seniors who had no involvement in this and Lowell their Thanksgiving opponent. I'm disappointed that we still see these stories all too often.” Another person tweeted, “Haverhill kids are such scumbags… how is this ever justified and okay to do? Send them kids to get checked out Jesus. Says a lot about the captains and integrity of the team.” “Hazing is a serious crime, not just ‘kids being kids.’ People DIE from hazing, depending on the severity,” a comment added.

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