Shes out of a job. You have these parents that are now upset because they have to discuss to their children 'Hey, your season is done [and] there is nothing we can do,'" said Zu Taalib, a Middletown parent. He was out sick most of that whole week. Following the schools investigation, officials concluded the hazing incident occurred on August 11 on school property, during a practice. Middletown High School Football team is under fire after video surfaces of brutal hazing. Mike Stunson covers real-time news for McClatchy. "They are penalizing all of the children, [including the] football [team], cheerleading, [the] band.". I was pleasantly surprised of how supportive FB comments were. "They have children now that are crying, they are upset. Theres nothing that would hold him back.. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Seven former Middletown High School football players were expelled after the school district's investigation of a hazing. The Middletown Area school district began investigating a hazing that happened on August 11, 2022after a cellphone video film by high school football players was shared on social media but on . It can mean losing everyone, a job, potential future opportunities. The Middletown Blue Raiders will not be playing football this season. Dauphin County prosecutors on Tuesday filed attempted sexual assault charges against two Middletown football players and other charges against eight additional players in connection with a. On August 12, the District received reports of a possible hazing incident during the football teams practice the previous day. His father, Bobby, told PennLive his son was able to make the transfer because his mother works in the Steelton-Highspire School District. Its not suddenly. Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com, He has no expectations, he said. Football Coach Scott Acri could not be reached Saturday, but the districts athletic director, Scott Govern, confirmed police are investigating an incident with the football team. High school football teams are currently practicing in preparation for the fall season. The Harrisburg-based firm describes itself as "focused on representing victims of crime and sexual abuse" on its website. the middletown area school district has cancelled its upcoming high school football season after a second video of the suspected hazing incident involving members of the team earlier this. Yesterday Middletown High School (Pa.) had its football season canceled after more sexualized hazing videos involving team members came to light. All rights reserved (About Us). Steelton-Highspire Superintendent Mick Iskric told PennLive Wednesday that Appleby has registered as his school, and he said administrators at Middletown told him that Appleby was not involved in the hazing incidents. On Wednesday, Middletown Area School District Superintendent Dr. Chelton Hunter announced that the district was canceling Middletown's 2022 football season, which was set to begin Friday. after the season was canceled over "disturbing and. Something tells me the parents are teaching their kids it's more important to be popular and a bully. Bobby Appleby said, too, that the change of scenery was important for his sons mental health following the past few weeks. MIDDLETOWN, Pa. (WHTM) Middletown School District has removed the students involved in the hazing incident from mid-August from the football team and considered canceling the football season entirely. At the same time, as we conduct an investigation, the District must follow state and federal laws, District policy, and maintain confidentiality and student privacy. Coincidence or conspiracy Top secret video + one of those don't watch videos To be completely honest I am so grateful to be alive yet there arepeople out there that I still need to have contact with despite thedevils tactics because God's will must be done no matter who else maythink different being confused and all. The incident happened at Middletown Area High School. All rights reserved (About Us). Steel-High coach and athletic director Andrew Erby told PennLive that if there was, he would not have Appleby join the program. Hall of Fame quarterback who began career with Steelers has entered hospice care. "We expect to begin a dialogue with the District soon regarding this unfortunate situation. hosted a scrimmage Saturday against Northern. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. An additional video of hazing at a central Pennsylvania high school prompts the district to reverse its decision and end its football season early. The players identified in the first video were removed from the football team pending the outcome of the investigation and the completion of the discipline process, according to Hunter. On Friday, the school district announced that head coach Scott Acri resigned earlier in the week.\r\rMelissa Brown, a licensed psychologist at UPMC, spoke to FOX43 about how students in sports and clubs could get wrapped up in hazing incidents.Read the full article here: https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/local-psychologist-reacts-to-middletown-football-hazing-incident-middletown-high-school-dauphin-county/521-07407721-0123-419b-acd7-d6d49510df47WPMT-FOX43's YouTube channel is a hub for the best of FOX43 News and its investigative reports, top headlines, and digital exclusive content: youtube.com/c/fox43 SUBSCRIBE: youtube.com/c/fox43 Acri, who spent six seasons at Susquenita, took over the Blue Raiders program last year. The Middletown School District has canceled the high school's football season after investigators found another video showing a hazing incident that police are investigating. Honestly this shit goes on everywhere but concrete evidence is impossible to ignore. Police learned of the incident Friday and detectives coordinated with the child abuse coordinator in the district attorneys office Saturday morning, Chardo said. The First half of January 2023 has been the 5th warmest Press J to jump to the feed. Ive told them that all of his coaches and the athletic director (at Middletown) can confirm that.. Chopping childhood hunger in NEPA | Eyewitness News @ 11:00 a.m. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. the district was canceling Middletown's 2022 football season, released a statement 10 days after the incident was reported, Rival school opens doors to Middletown students, after football season is canceled over hazing incident, Middletown parents meet with school administration following cancellation of 2022 football season, Middletown School District cancels high school football season after another video of a hazing incident comes to light. Pennsylvania High School Football Season CANCELED due to SHOCKING Hazing Incident! The Middletown, Pennsylvania hazing investigation on Harrisburg news at Wednesday, August 17, 2022 - YouTube Coincidence or conspiracy. It occurred to me that if this was Texas, the superintendent and school board would have been sacked by the state and football restored. A psychologist who specializes in high school violence told PennLive the videos were a clear incident of sexualized hazing.. Whether or not you share your childs fascination for reptiles, here are the best toys, books and games to excite any reptile lover. Editors note: This story was updated at 5:30 p.m., Aug. 13, 2022 with new details. Youre invited! Hunter made the decision after obtaining the additional video of the incidents which took place during the teams heat acclimation week which began back on Aug. 8, he said Wednesday. Horseplay is one thing, but putting massager guns and who knows what else on another students . He just wants to play football and try to contribute.. Multiple videos. pennlive. Any staff members who were found to have ignored this kind of hazing will also face disciplinary action. No they need to be criminally charged. Well, thanks to having school resource officers in schools, plenty of children could still walk away with criminal records. Therefore with out further adowelcome to my usual eccentric self and please have perseverance aswell as humility after viewing this content. Police are working with family members of two potential victims, he said. On Wednesday, Middletown Area School District Superintendent Dr. Chelton Hunter announced that the district was canceling Middletown's 2022 football season, which was set to begin Friday night. As soon as the players involved in the hazing were identified on August 12, they were removed from the football team pending the outcome of the investigation and the completion of the student discipline process. On Monday, August 15, 2022, the head football coach offered his resignation. The families of two of the boys affected by the hazing incident involving the Middletown Area High School football team have retained a Harrisburg law firm known for representing sexual assault victims. It is also the sign of a very strong person to be able to turn and say What you are all doing is wrong and I want nothing to do with it.. Top Video / Aug 24, 2022 / 06:08 PM EDT. MIDDLETOWN, Pa. (WHTM) Middletown School District has removed the students involved in the hazing incident from mid-August from the football team and considered canceling the football. We are addressing this matter with the utmost sense of urgency to ensure that our school environment is free from behaviors that are meant to demean, humiliate or harm other students. Well work to bring our school community together in a positive manner as we move forward into the new school year.. For the first time publicly, Middletown Area School District leaders addressed an ongoing investigation into hazing involving the high school football team. News never stops. He has college football offers from Lebanon Valley College, Ursinus and Misericordia, and Ive reached out to all of them, too, to let them know that he had nothing to do with that. For more high school stories, stats and videos, visit http://usatodayhss.com. Again, I know this is difficult news, he said. Hunter said administrators were working to find other opportunities for the schools cheerleaders and band for the fall. The incident has left a stain on all those associated with the program, even if they were not involved with the incident that is under investigation. August 16, 2022. Getty/Middletown Area School District/Facebook Composite There won't be any football this year for one high school in Pennsylvania . Bamm Appleby, who was slated to be Middletown's starting quarterback this season, announced Wednesday he has already made the move to Steelton and was transferring. I experienced in the 90s and Im sure it went on long before that. Lower Swatara police are investigating reports of hazing on the Middletown high school football team, Dauphin . Middletown did not pause after the investigation began, practicing through last week, and the team hosted a scrimmage Saturday against Northern. In the wake of that news, Middletowns former starting quarterback Bamm Appleby is transferring to Steel-High, where he will play wide receiver, according to a, Live in-game results around the nation as they happen, This Freshman has five college offers before playing first high school game, St. John Bosco announces first-of-its-kind NIL deal with Sports Performance group, Watch your teams games in 2022 on the NFHS Network, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Teams that were scheduled to play Middletown this season have two options: either take a win for that week or find another school thats willing to play. Students involved in the hazing will be disciplined, as will any staff members who were aware of the incidents, according to the superintendent. Cell phone video, taken by players, shows a group of students restraining two of their teammates and using a muscle therapy gun and another piece of athletic equipment to poke the buttock areas of the students who were on the ground, Hunter said in a statement on Aug. 22. The District considered multiple factors in deciding whether to continue with the football season, including the potential impact canceling the season would have on football players not involved in this incident as well as students involved in marching band and cheerleading, Middletown School District said in its statement. Unfortunately, this video demonstrates that this hazing was much more widespread, and involved many more students, than we had previously known. More fallout from the Blue Raiders hazing incident. In the wake of that news, Middletown's. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through this investigation. His letter comes just two days after he said in a statement that the school previously considered canceling its season, but opted not to after considering the effect it would have on the football players who were not involved as well as the schools band and cheerleading team. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. Yesterday Middletown High School (Pa.) had. According to Mike Byers, COO of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, the district is allowing players who were not involved in the hazing scandal to transfer to another school. Superintendent Chelton Hunter made that announcement Wednesday in a written statement after he said the district obtained. airs its first show in the new studio, Agnes at Fifty: A look back at the flood of 1972, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Kinzua in the winter time is one of the most beautiful Pennsylvania Senate passes bill to cut state gas tax, The Beautiful Downtown Pittsburgh Skyline At Night. Most surprisingly are, but theres a few loud ones who are making a show of it. We have shared the new video with law enforcement officials and will continue to work to complete our own investigation, he said. We know we must work to address the culture of this team, educate our student body about hazing, and put programs in place to help us ensure that this kind of atmosphere is never allowed to exist in our school facilities.. "We and our clients hope that the Middletown School District will learn and grow from this tragic experience, and be part of the solution to sexualized hazing, rather than the problem," the firm said in a statement to FOX43. The school district launched its own investigation and contacted law enforcement. Middletown Area School District will not tolerate hazing, is committed to investigating all reported incidents of hazing, and is actively engaged in pursuing discipline for the students responsible for violating our policies in this case, the school district said in its statement. Each video shows a group of students holding down a youth, forcing him to spread his legs as he cries and screams. An alleged hazing incident involving the Middletown football team continues to send shockwaves throughout the district. Multiple videos captured the hazing involving the Middletown Area High School football team, according to Dr. Chelton Hunter, Superintendent of the Middleton Area School District. Schuylkill County wildlife center to rebuild after receiving national support | Eyewitness News @ 11:00 a.m. Hazleton Area High School band performs at Shapiro inauguration, Cat food shortage hurts local animal shelter, Shooter at large as cinema shooting investigation intensifies. by Nick Volturo. Assistant coach Robert Brodish became the acting coach for the upcoming season, which was ultimately canceled. Neither do we. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). On Wednesday, Hunter said a second video of the incident showed the number of players involved was larger than previously known, causing the district's decision to cancel the season. Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com. Middletown is about 10 miles southeast of Harrisburg. Getting a second chance is big for his son, too, he said, because Bamm is coming off a season in which he broke his wrist and was only able to play in three games. Neither do we. The season opener against Lower Dauphin High School is scheduled for Aug. 26. Sign up for PennLives new high school sports newsletter here, By Wednesday he was just hoping to make an impact at receiver for the Steel-High Rollers as a senior while separating himself from the ugly occurrence at his former school. Cant wait to get started! Newly uncovered hazing video sacks any chance of season for Middletown Football. One way or the other, something just kept getting in his way. An alleged hazing incident involving the Middletown football team continues to send shockwaves throughout the district. MIDDLETOWN, Pa. 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