The family, meanwhile, is asking a judge to review a Woburn District Court clerk magistrates decision to reject applications for criminal complaints against Callanan and Woburn Detective Edward Fumicello, the school resource officer, for allegedly allowing video surveillance footage of the hallway outside the locker room and coachs offices to be deleted after they viewed the recording, despite an ongoing investigation. CNN A high school near Pennsylvanias capital has canceled its upcoming football season over reports of hazing by members of the schools football team. Attempts to reach Belcher, Duran, and Andrews were unsuccessful. juvenile justice system handle the Woburn bullying case? 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. This is an active and ongoing investigation. The freshman football player is seen pulling up his pants in the video. 2 Men Shot; 1 Dies In Early Morning Shooting In Woburn: Police, Woburn Teachers Ratify, Staff Ratify Contracts To Strike, MA Has Another Mega Millions Winner After $31M Ticket Sold In Woburn, Dive In Commonwealth Virtual Information Session, Free Online Mindfulness Session: Taming the Overactive Mind, Author Event with Sociologist Amanda Freeman, Taxes in Retirement Seminar at Woburn Public Library, Woburn Area Pet Adoption: Little, Roland, Hootie & More, Woburn Area Prospective Homeowners: Look Through 3 New Properties For Sale. The court is expected to decide in early March whether charges are warranted. It was very nasty. Woburn High made no substantive efforts to curtail the bullying, they stated. Seven teenagers are facing criminal charges in connection to a hazing investigation in Woburn, Massachusetts. In 1983, Belcher was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the ninth round of the NFL Draft. Andrews, a 2020 graduate of Endicott College, indicated his football experience was limited to Pop Warner and high school. THE MASSACHUSETTS INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CREATING A PROGRAM WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE TO STOP HAZING AND TO REMIND STUDENTS PLAYING SPORTS IS A PRIVILEGE. "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. It's a shame. 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 But, the former student said, he soon became disturbed by Belchers coaching methods, which he described as abusive. "I share in the collective shock and outrage regarding this incident.". NEW! Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team. A video of the incident allegedly shows members of the Haverhill High School football team hazing a teenage boy. 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. OVERALL 7-4 0.64 Win %. WOBURN, MA The family of a Woburn 14-year-old who said he was threatened, punched and sexually assaulted in a school locker room is criticizing Woburn Public Schools, Woburn police and the Middlesex District Attorney's Office for lack of action on the incidents, according to a Boston Globe report. "As these matters concern allegations involving minors, there was and remains much we cannot say publicly about this situation," Crowley said. THE TEAM IS FORFEITING THE REST OF THE SEASON. One tradition put on hold, while another continues, exposing vulnerable youngsters to physical and emotional harm. Coucelos alleged he also was punched by another student on a school bus, but the investigation determined Coucelos himself was the aggressor. THIS IS VIDEO OF THE ALLEGED HAZING INCIDENT IN THE FOOTBALL LOCKROOM. Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Thursday that he supported hiring an outside firm to conduct the investigation. 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. But the abuse continued, according to their complaint, and in 2019 the parents submitted a 10-page report to Callanan detailing additional bullying their son had endured from Belcher and from his teammates at Belchers alleged direction. April 14, 2022, 10:11 p.m. Support GBH. The student who grabbed him in the classroom, he said, was a former Woburn football player. His parents made that decision to withdraw him from the school because it was no longer safe for him to be there. After months of waiting, the case is expected to be heard in juvenile court next month. (WHDH) - Seven Woburn High School students are facing assault and battery charges after they allegedly attacked a former classmate. LEAGUE 4-1 2nd Middlesex - Liberty. #ada-button-frame { But conflicting witness statements prevented Nelson from establishing who groped Coucelos, he stated. Following reports of the misconduct, Attorney General Maura Healey convened a conference of policymakers to address the abuses. The only game left on the 2022 Haverhill High football schedule was the Thanksgiving rivalry game against Lowell High School. High school students in Woburn, Massachusetts, are facing criminal charges after incidents of hazing, including one that was recorded and posted on social media after a football game last September 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. The former Woburn player asserted the waiver was warranted in part because of the trauma he allegedly endured in Belchers program. Coaches are, by policy, considered responsible for safeguarding student-athletes against any form of abuse. WOBURN SENIOR FOOTBALL CAPTAINS (l-r) Derek Dabrieo, Jake Daniell, Derek Baccari, Anthony Palmieri and Yahya Aksadi. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. He was attacked in his Spanish class. And at some point, he had to leave the school for his safety. "The school official, superintendent, the principal, vice principal, coaches they all should [face] consequences.. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WCVB-TV. A parent who asked not to be identified said her son, who graduated in 2021, was bullied on the practice field, in the locker room, and elsewhere in the school by his football teammates. 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-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. It's been a turbulent few years for the Woburn football program. "I am alarmed, concerned and frankly disgusted by what I have been told and by the video that I was shown," Fiorentini said in a statement Wednesday night. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team. The Rockets improved to 2-0 by dominating Woburn, 35-7, last Saturday at Woburn High. 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. He left his job as a paraprofessional at the Woburn school in April. Bob Hohler can be reached at robert.hohler@globe.com. Woburn officials on Saturday issued a statement confirming that a detective was assigned to an investigation involving a high school sports team.That message from Police Chief Robert Rufo, Mayor Scott Galvin and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Crowley comes one day after sources told NewsCenter 5 that police are investigating whether a juvenile was hazed and sexually assaulted at the school in an incident involving the football team.The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office also said they were notified about the allegations by police and are participating in the investigation.Officials said in Saturday's statement that the incident involved a sports team and an alleged incident that occurred "earlier in the school year. "As your superintendent I promise that the standards we will set for ourselves, our sports programs and how we are to treat one another will be of paramount importance as we continue to move through this process and learn all the facts and circumstances," Crowley wrote. It was very nasty. The player who was initially hopeful about Belcher said the team engaged in a ritual in 2019 in which one player each week got jumped by his teammates and whacked with foam rollers. "We wish to state, without reservation, that the Woburn Public Schools took this matter seriously as soon as we learned about it and that our response was comprehensive and thorough.". 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. 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.. Jessica Callanan, principal of Woburn Memorial High School said in a statement to Greater Boston, "the Coucelos familys complaint is and should be taken seriously. One has an additional "indecent assault and battery" charge. It was very nasty," said student Felix Molina.The Haverhill High School football stadium and locker room are located approximately 10 minutes off campus.Police are investigating and members of the teams coaching staff have been placed on administrative leave.Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini said Thursday that he supported hiring an outside firm to conduct the investigation. 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. I didn't like what I saw," said student Elliot Batista. Contests & Promotions. It's not good for our school. Web7 students face charges in alleged Woburn HS hazing attack 2,940 views Apr 14, 2022 Seven Woburn High School students are facing charges after a 14-year-old football It took a big toll on him, very big toll.. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. 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. "The Woburn Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorneys Office are currently investigating the incident. 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. The Globe is not identifying the player who alleges he was kicked in the head because a Middlesex Superior Court judge sealed the case in October, citing student privacy concerns. Something needs to be said, something to be done. This content is imported from Facebook. THE FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF IS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. 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. Its hard on all of us.. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. It hurts him to this day. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. All rights reserved (About Us). We are strictly responding to how the integrity of the team, the leadership of the athletic department and football program is unfairly under attack in the community., They stated, Head Coach Jack Belcher has always given us nothing short of his undivided attention and passion for his job as our coach and leader. On Sept. 25, 2018, three years to the day before the Coucelos incident, a 15-year-old Woburn player was kicked so hard in the head by a teammate that he stumbled, dazed, from the practice field and vomited, he stated in a civil case pending before the state Supreme Judicial Court. Police Investigating Woburn High School Team Incident - Woburn, MA - Officials did not specify the team, but WCVB reported Friday that the football team was "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. display: none; It's not good. It's not good. Instead, Belcher instructed the traumatized player to return to the field for 35 more minutes of contact drills, his complaint states. Somehow, ganging up or picking on someone half ones size has come to symbolize the kind of toughness required to be successful on a football field, basketball court or hockey rink. 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.. (CNN) - Police are investigating whether a juvenile football player was hazed, and sexually assaulted at school. Belcher started his high school coaching career as an assistant at Bishop Fenwick in 2001. >> WANT TO GET STUDENTS -- STUDENT ATHLETES AND ADULT LEADERS IN A ROOM AND START TALKING ABOUT HOW TO BEAT HUMAN BEINGS. It did explain that additional details were not released because of the ages of those involved. 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 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. 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. Black News Hour presented by The Boston Globe. Woburn police are seeking assault charges in Lowell Juvenile Court against seven Woburn students, including five football players, for the alleged locker room attack and two subsequent incidents in which Johnathan was the alleged victim. "Any such misconduct will be responded to swiftly and it will undoubtedly have lasting repercussions for all of those involved.". Callanan hired him in 2017 to succeed Woburns legendary coach, Rocky Nelson, and a former student who played in three of Belchers first four years at Woburn said, My first impression of him was positive. Its shocking that there still have been no repercussions for anyone in the athletic department, said Peter Hahn, the Coucelos familys attorney. It's a sad situation and hopefully they figure out what happened and it doesn't happen again. The Woburn Police Department and Woburn Public Schools will continue to work together to ensure the safety of all students, the statement said. REPORTER: THE MAYOR SAYS I SUPPORT HIRING AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO -- TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION. Woburn Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Matthew Crowley sent a letter to the community on Tuesday to provide an update on the "troubling situation involving the WMHS athletics program that has been covered in the news recently. 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