At an emotionally charged Thursday night public forum in Damascus, residents pelted school system staff with questions about alleged rapes in a locker room at the town’s high school last October and parents wondered how to move forward with limited information about ongoing investigations.
A routine meeting of parents and staff from schools in the Damascus area quickly turned heated as school system officials declined to answer questions about investigations into a Halloween hazing allegedly carried out by four junior varsity football players before practice.
The four boys, all 15, face multiple rape, attempted rape and conspiracy charges, and the school has received national attention as details of the alleged broomstick attacks surfaced, including that several Damascus High administrators and coaches knew of the rapes for hours before contacting police.
In the past month, the junior varsity coach and the school’s athletic director were placed on administrative leave as the school system conducts an internal investigation about supervision the afternoon of the attacks. The school’s principal, Casey Crouse, resigned this week and has started a new role in the school system’s central office.
Parents say the fallout has stretched beyond those directly involved and a lack of information makes students feel “alienated” and confused.
One parent shouted out that her son, a freshman athlete, tells her every time he steps on a playing field that the opposing team makes crude comments like, “Get away or I’m going to get the broom.”
“It is not necessarily these (Damascus) kids that need help. Where the message needs to be spread is to every other high school in this county,” said the parent, who did not identify herself. “It has to do with spreading a message of healing and coming together to other schools. Our kids are banding together.”
School system director of athletics Jeff Sullivan said the incidents are generally not publicized, but each one, whether it occurred during an athletic event or on social media, is documented and the students involved are punished.
“We expect our athletes to be leaders in our schools,” Sullivan said.
Members of the crowd several times shouted out questions, and became frustrated when school staff did not provide answers. A handful of times, school security staff asked individuals to sit down or to be respectful of others.
One person asked how the school system would help the Damascus community restore a “sense of well-being,” and while chief operating officer Andrew Zuckerman said staff in the system’s central office support “healing efforts,” the school must lead the charge.
Damascus High staff was expected to meet Friday to “brainstorm what the community needs to move forward,” one member said.
“The frustration, we hear that, and we know that’s a part of any healing process,” Zuckerman said. “The specific steps have to occur among the team at the school, and we will be with you to support you in that process.”
Principals of other schools in the upcounty area were present at Thursday’s meeting, along with Kevin Yates, who will take over as interim principal for Damascus High on Monday.
Superintendent Jack Smith was not present.
Before the meeting, school board president Shebra Evans choked up as she told the crowd of more than 100 that school board members – many mothers – are troubled by the alleged rapes. It was one of the few public remarks issued by anyone on the eight-member school board.
“We have heard from many parents. We’ve received emails,” Evans said. “The community is angry, they are upset, they are frustrated. They are at their breaking point. We get that. We want you all to know that we are deeply saddened. We are mortified by the alleged actions.”
Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@moco360.media
