Parents, board members turn their anger toward administration

Sep. 21—NORWALK — About 100 people showed up at Tuesday night's Norwalk City Schools meeting.

And most of them were not happy.

Many attended the monthly meeting to talk about an alleged hazing incident that occurred at Norwalk High School last month, which is still under review by the Huron County prosecutor's office for potential charges.

The incident, which occurred during the week of Aug. 8 in the varsity football locker room, involved two students holding down the victim. Another player allegedly rubbed a sex toy on the victim's mouth before poking the student in the buttocks area, according to a Norwalk police report.

The victim was fully clothed at the time.

When the public participation portion of the meeting began, adults turned their anger on the administration for the way the incident was handled.

Little was said about the kids who were involved, and even less was said about the victim.

"The administration ... needs to enforce the rules equally," parent Kurt Livingston read from a prepared statement. "Stop trying to trap kids by strong-arming them by taking their phones, which I am sure is not legal, and interrogating them without their parents' presence or their consent."

Livingston said people at the school, students and adults, and their actions are handled differently "depending on who you are and who you know. If only the students are punished it is sending the wrong message."

Livingston, who said he is a proud alumnus and former Trucker football player, added, "I am disappointed in the behavior of the football team and coaching staff.

"We do not want to keep getting embarrassed and ashamed."

Livingston asked about the supervision at the time. "Where was the assigned coach during this alleged incident?"

He also asked why "phone calls (are) being made to players and parents asking them not to attend tonight's board meeting?"

Finally, he said, many parents and students are afraid to speak out because, "The school or coaches take it out on their kids. I certainly hope that does not happen after tonight."

Board member Jeremy Norris was next to speak.

"I can tell you the school board is not happy," Norris said. "We are not in charge of discipline, unfortunately. I agree with you that there is a problem with respect of the coaching staff. If the players respected the coaches, this would not be happening in this program.

"As far as from what I hear a coach calling and telling the parents and telling them not to attend tonight ... silencing parents and silencing students from their voices enrages me. That person should not be coaching.

"I'm sorry. That is the best I can do ... we are failing you," he added. "There is a problem, and I can tell you we are getting to the bottom of it."

Mandy Wasiniak said her son was interrogated by principal Patrick Kania, assistant principal Adam Kreischer and director of student activities Josh Schlotterer.

"They questioned his leadership skills because he is team captain of the football team," she said. "I feel my son's civil rights were violated. They tried to force an admission from him for over an hour. I feel his Title IX rights were violated. He was never given the right to call myself or his step-father.

"The way these events transpired is unsettling in the locker room and the assistant's office that day," Wasiniak continued. "I believe it shows a clear and lack of leadership from our leadership team at Norwalk High School."

Amanda Kessler said her son had his phone taken by the administration.

"They continued to call him a liar over and over again," she said. "He was pulled out of school at noon, and I did not get a call until 2:04 p.m. His phone was confiscated and turned over to the police. It's not right. For him to be sitting in a room by himself after being interrogated for two hours with no option to call his parents ... I don't understand how any of you think that's right, because it is not.

"The whole thing is disgusting and I hope all of you are happy."

Board president Lisa Wick then spoke, and said she was heartbroken fo everyone involved.

"I am here to do a job, and we are working on things," she said. "You have an open policy to speak to us. Please do not be afraid to speak up."

"I understand your frustrations," Norris said. "We are your voices in this community."

Board member Alison Crawford said she was shocked by the recent turn of events.

"If you would have told me four weeks ago that I would be sitting here and hearing these things about this football program and these coaches, I would have said there is no way," Alison Crawford said. "Wow, how four weeks can change.

"It is really funny what happens when a parent is on this board and wants to do the right thing how quickly they can turn on them."

Crawford pointed out the board hires the superintendent and treasurer, and sets board policy. Everything else — including enforcing those policies — is up to the administration, she said.

"What happened to that boy in that locker room? Let's not forget that," she said. "There could have been someone stopping that before it happened. Then there also was what I was told happened at the sleepover at the stadium to another child. It isn't just one incident, unfortunately ... that is more than a coincidence.

"We tell our kids to be good ... they are children," Crawford continued. "They are going to do things sometimes we don't have control over. That's why adults are present. We are not their friends. We are supposed to be there to set the standards."

Crawford also said she was disappointed about the way she heard the news of the incident — from rumors and concerned adults — not from the administration.

One mother said there is a disconnect within the program.

"What example are we showing these kids. The good book says a house divided against itself will fall. Somebody has to be accountable, and it has to be from the top down," she said. "There has to be accountability."

Erich Metzger, whose son does not play football but is a freshman wrestler for Todd Fox — who is both the head football and wrestling coach at NHS — said the root of the problem is children and social media.

"As parents, we are failing. We do not monitor what our children are doing."

He also talked about Coach Fox.

"He is a great role model in that wrestling room," he said. "He (his son) wants to wrestle for coach Fox. On the wrestling program, in the past 10 years, I have not seen a better coach in that room."

"After this situation ... I don't trust our administrators," another woman said. "It is not a good feeling to have. Violated. I don't trust."