Physical Education is important. Yet sports are not. Too many students have life time injures from Athletic activity. Yet physical education gives strength to the student with a focus on protecting the student from life time injury. Schools spent 10s of millions of dollars on Sports wastefully. Highland Park/Deerfield District 113 High School took a survey of the community. The community gave High importance to Education and Physical Education. Sports were not considered necessary for a student’s development. It is considered by the community as nice to have. Now you are proving this with behavior of some coaches

Personally I think the problem is on the use of the terms "hazing" and "bullying." Hazing and bullying have the connotation to many of bad but essentially harmless acts as is discussed in the article. This sort of stuff is neither. These boys were not "hazed"; they were sexually assaulted / gang raped. Its disgusting, and those involved should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Lets use the right (albeit more frightening) terms for these horrible acts and perhaps we will see actual reduction in the number of instances.

My son had complained to his gym teacher that his back was hurting him from the running they were doing in gym at district 15 junior highschool. The gym teacher told him to run anyways and when my son came home he could barely move so I took him to the Illinois bone and joint and after testing it was found he had a slight back fracture due to the pounding of the running and him still trying to grow. My son was in a back brace for 6 weeks and had to go for physical therapy. When I confronted the gym teacher he naturally denied all of what happened but I complained as high up as I could.

I agree with Ronnie. This was not hazing, it was sexual assault. These students who particpated in this should be punished to the max. What are the coaches doing about this? Not much of anything, which makes me believe that they are just as sick minded as the students who performed these acts! I know that when you are on a sports team, the team all sticks together, but I can't believe that if this was done out in the open on a run, that other teamates wouldn't have tried to put a stop to this. So much for protecting one of their own! Feel sorry for the parents of these students.

I think these gym teacher don't listen to what a student is saying and they push push and push to hard! Sometimes it is not healthy and good for a student. Kids are still growing and as far as jogging goes I believe its not healthy to run......me being a jogger and what it has done to me......so maybe these gym teachers need a refreshers course on how to listen to what a student is saying before you push them!! Also the case above should be sexual assault and it should not be a misdeamnor!!!

I know people from some years ago. That have had back injures from sports. In fact one had 3 back operation for sports in his youth. As schools let’s focus on physical education. Sports do not belong in secondary education. It’s not healthy as well as too expensive. In Highland Park High School additional parking was built with an empty parking area across the street. Public school should focus on education. Tax dollars are wasted in public education not only in sports.
Carl Lambrecht 847 432 8255, lambrecht@laurelindustries.com

Not only does it cause injuries but the students at kept late when a tournamant is going on so they don't get home until 8-9 at night. They are so exhausted and can't focus on homework because they are too tired.

Let's see...the coaches employed by the school are accused of condoning the behavior. Do we really need to look further than the school to find fault? They are the party who placed the youngsters in the hands of the coaches. I hope the 3 plaintiffs win this case and it is serves as a warning to all educational institutions that this behavior will not be tolerated. The coaches need to lose their teaching credentials and be placed in a national database so that no other school hires them. Infact...they should all have to pay a personal financial penalty and do community service for no less than one year wearing a sign that states " I abuse children".

I'm all for punishing the people involved in this but I sure hope that all information is 100% correct in this because a lot of people's lives ae at stake for being ruined. The thought of making a large amount off this unfortunate and terrible incident can bring a lot of money hungry people out of the closets as well to lie or embellish stories, which to me is just as wrong as the the initial claims . To anyone who is complaining about the amount of time your children have to practice for their sport they choose to participate in , it's just that its a choice your child does not have to be involved in sports all kids know that going into any kind if sport that just like there classes in school they have to put hard work into what they r doing to do well . So if u don't want them to be involved in a sport then don't let them join there are plenty other activities at the high schools that they can join .

Let us not forget that a parent has a role in his child's schooling too. Keeping open communication lines with them is invaluable. These kinds of things should not be allowed to happen. Peer pressure sucks but maybe one of the kids could have warned the parents early on and these fools could have been fired. Remember it was other kids that are actually doing the hazing. They should have known better too.Talk to your kids. Surely someone knew about this long before,years before the lawsuit lottery started. The kids who took part should be getting sued right along with the scumbags who allowed it to continue.

This generation of kids are a bunch of whiners and so are their parents.

Schools don`t do enough to stop hazing or bullying. Whether it`s youth bullying youth .Or youth bullying adults (staff).

Yet another reason to dismantle the industrial educational complex in this country run by union thugs and left-wing socialists. A system burdened with top-heavy administration, out-of-control salaries and pensions, social re-engineering agenda and systematic sexual assault and battery to top it off. All of this to produce the dumbest generation of Americans ever and the lowest performing of the industrialized world and some third world nations. Then these so-called "teachers" have the audacity and the temerity, no less than the brazen cojones, to ask for more money and less work time at the expense of children. I personally think we need to go back to the basics, to the same basics that created previous generations that went to space and the moon in washing machines, won WWII and the Cold War and gave us the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Gettysburg Address. I don't fault teachers, I fault the complex and it's administration for brainwashing teachers and in turn their students. As I've said in the past we have enough nuclear weapons (thanks to previous generations) to keep the barbarian horde at bay while we scrap the complex and start over. By the way, I'm a brown-skinned first generation American who grew up in a Spanish speaking dirt poor household in Chicago. I'm a republican but voted for Obama twice, second time it took me five minutes starring at the ballot to do it. I mention this cause the first thing the libs say is, "racist white red neck" to counter

Predatory sexual assault is a crime; twisted deviant behavior whether done by students, teachers or promoted/encouraged by any of the above. There have been numerous reports of abuse from those in power, whether it be coaches, teachers, scout leaders, ministers, priests, 'trusted' adults, neighbors. To link this with 'union thugs and left wing socialists' is beyond absurd. Children need protection from those who wish to harm them, whether at school or in the community. The school system's primary purpose beyond education is to keep the child safe. Some schools do a better job than others in dealing with bullying, hazing and promoting respect and tolerance. While teachers also need to be protected from false allegations made by disgruntled students; every allegation must be investigated. The atmosphere of the school must be focused on respect for all.

To the question is enough being done? No. Our culture & institutions dances around bad behavior behind the fear of being sued. People and schools don't get sued for encouraging mutual respect toward others. Our community is at fault, just as much as schools are. We shrink from telling others they are disrespectful to others, and create a standard, bullying, that is unclear at best, and a diversion from the truth; a lack of basic mutual respect for others, from others.

Kids are so weak today. If someone bullies you take it like a man and fight them or just ignore them. Society in general is too weak.

No our schools do not allow parents to contact other parents whose children are doing the bulling.. These school administrators who are bullies themselves think thye know how to handle the situation better than parents do...They want to turn our children into passive nitwits who cannot think for themselves or handle a problem themselves. Its called mind control..I once told a child who gave my son the finger that I wanted to speak to his Mother..The school went wild that I had spoken to a child..He was 10 years old..not 2. if your old enough to give the finger then your old enough to face the music. The school wants parents to think that the school is the end all. That we cannot live without these overpaid, bottom 20% of the college graduating class scores mental lightweights. I totlly blame the schools for the problems they have created. They are the worst influence on society and we really need to cut their wings and we as parents need to unite and pledge to handle matters between us.

When we don't allow our children to face issues themselves we take away their self respect and confidence. We are here to guide them and teach them not to do the talking for them..I had confidence when I was young so there would have been no way that a preditor would have tlaked me into anything. But my parents encouraged me to solve my own problems..They didn't do it for me. And the school taught..they did not parent..

Industrial educational complex? Somebody is wearing their aluminum foil hat again.

Failed to mention if this was actually initiation to become a member of the group. Did students want to be part of group then changed minds?

Zero tolerance! Expel the bullies and let these darling children be home schooled by their pathetic parents. Simple.

A high school in Appleton, Wisconsin tried an experiment under the enlightened guidance of their principal, LuAnn Coenen. She wanted to see if she could positively affect the fighting, weapons-carrying and general lack of focus and discipline in the school by changing the food the kids ate.

Vending machines were replaced with water coolers; hamburgers and French fries were taken off the menu and replaced with fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grain breads and a salad bar. With the departure of junk food, she also saw the departure of vandalism, litter and the need for police patrolling her hallways. The students were calm, socially engaged and focused on their schoolwork. Problems were minimal. And all Ms. Coenen did was change the menu!

Please watch "Forks Over Knives" for FREE to learn more about the implications of a meat-based diet vs a plant-based diet. Go to http://www.hulu.com/watch/279734 and do yourself and your family a favor!

&

Dr. Antonia Demas conducted a pilot program for youthful offenders at Bay Point School, a controlled residence for select male juvenile delinquents. Incorporating the principles of her curriculum, Demas' results were astounding: Grade point averages increased, athletic performance and strength improved, aggressive behavior declined, acne cleared, excess weight came down, and every single one of the participants reported general improvements in well-being. http://foodstudies.org/

That same menu will change the behavior of the teachers too..My goodness what bad nutrition they have and thye eat in the class rooms like slobs too..They don't wash their hands before and after eating..have the kids sitting on the floor and eating..They need the education on how to behave first. By the way did you know that 50% of children in juvenile detention are children with specail needs who were never diagnosed by the school or witheld services from the school? Oh yes, our schools are the worst for society..They are getting paid 10 times more than any other country per child and 50% per cent more than the leading countries in comphensation and they can't even ensure children eat right while in school.

Its school sure this type of stuff is going to go on. I always think there should be more fights in school then there are today. Were getting to soft

What about the parents? Every blames the teachers, but when the kids see their parents bullying teachers/other adults they think it all good.

Since today my sister went to a wake for a child who killed himself over bullying at school, I would say no. The school was informed and the parents asked the school to help. They did nothing.

People in the United States are becoming increasingly irresponsible, uncivilized, ungovernable and barbaric - at ALL social levels and classes, rich and poor alike. It is a common practice to blame others for bad behavior. It may take a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to ruin one.

Organized school sports are not the evil in our world, stop blaming sports for every bad thing that happens within a school. The crime that occurred at Maine West was done by a group of thugs and should be punished as such. If school employees knew of this crime and did nothing they also should be jailed. This incident is different than the widespread problem of children/adults who believe they can act in any way they want. My parents did not have a lot of money but were highly thought of because they treated others respectively, they listened and discussed opposing viewpoints without rancor. They held various town govt. jobs, elected political positions and many volunteer hats. My siblings and I were involved in sports, music and other various school and civic activities. We weren't angels and there were a few scrapes with the police & stupid teenage behavior but there was a line we didn't cross. That line seems to have disappeared.

Lucas, the definition of hazing includes the words strenuous, dangerous activity that recruits are forced to do. It does not specify that criminal behavior, as in sexual harassment or abuse, is a necessary component. My teen has participated in "hazing" to join a sports team...it involved embarrassing acts (singing in the cafeteria), polishing the bleachers and other stupid things. Again, people seem to have lost the ability to differentiate between harmful, cruel behavior (as in the criminal behavior at MW) and moronic behavior. At this point we the public do not know the details of the Maine West incident. I hope the victims receive counseling and as much help as possible. The parents took a courageous step in going public. As parents we need to teach our kids that evil things exist in this world and they should not harm others either personally or by witnessing it AND that they do not have to be a victim themselves (in order to join a peer group, team, etc).

Lots of opinions as to who is at fault. The single concept of Respect seems to be the common denominator, or rather the lack of it-in our society as a whole which then trickles down into every aspect of daily life. As parents/adults we may teach respect at home, but also need to role model that behavior in daily actions-in interactions with family, neighbors, co-workers, drivers, clerks, others in the community. Flying off the handle, shouting obscenities, name-calling to others who irritate us demonstrates that it is OK to disrespect those who make us angry. The prevalence of violence in entertainment blurs the line between reality & fantasy. While teaching & demonstrating respect at home, we ultimately must demand not only respect at school, but safety with investigation into each incident. Every child should be taught to defend himself, not provoke; however an assault of 6:1 is gang rape-no amount of 'manning up' would have helped. No kid should ever have to deal with that. Some schools have better preventative programs, such as Iroquois Comm School (elementary). MW should look into it. Jim Corcoran cites interesting studies, however, changing the menu does not impact what kids bring to school or buy on the way. I do believe nutrition impacts behavior, however, as the mom of 4 teens, getting them to eat what you serve is an entirely different story. Kids are very resourceful. Complex issues, but ultimately the school is responsible for keeping kids safe.

Gang rape and sodomizing are not hazing, not even close.

I sorry your going to stick something into my ass or I can't play in your sport? Just writing that makes me cringe.

Lucas...I'm the biggest shade of grey kind of person there is. Drives my husband crazy. You are correct in that we don't know what the "recruits" expected or was told would happen. We also don't know if this was a pre-planned act. I can't imagine any teen would willingly submit themselves to such behavior or acts. I also can't imagine that teens would plan to treat someone in such a way. Whether we ever hear both sides or not, everyone should understand that things like this are wrong. Wrong to do, wrong to witness and that it's ok NOT to go along with a group when it's wrong. I was once with a group of moms who were gossiping about some "slutty" girls who had made out with some boys at a party. When I brought up the fact that making out takes two to tango, and why weren't the boys considered to be slutty, I was stared at like I had two heads. I bring this up only because we (society/media) are quick to judge and assume. Yes, we should learn as much as we can before we pass judgement.

Perspective: What if they had done this to a girl? Would the charges have been reduced to "misdemeanor"?

Schools are doing too much. Let the kids fight it out. Thats how problems are solved and lessons are learned.

@ Mary Beth I personally feel very bad for your kids, if you do have any. I actually am speaking from experience as I fought my way through life to the top and I look down over every one because of it. You fight off six kids by training harder, working harder, out smarting, and surrounding your self with friends who have your back at all times. The lessons learned were be tougher, train harder, and keep your friends close but your enemies closer. I pity your soft, weak, advice that only losers should listen to and use. Let the kids fight it out like the good ole days. Your a weak human being, that thinks a little bullying and taunting is a bad thing. You call a kid fat these days and he cries, and the kid gets suspended for a day. Society is weak and people wonder why America is falling. The answer is because of people like you MARY BETH.

"The hazing ritual was ordered and witnessed by several coaches, according to the complaint, when, on Sept. 27, Michael Divencenzo, varsity soccer coach, Emilio Rodriguez, freshmen soccer coach, and other coaches ordered a “campus run” after the freshman soccer player was promoted to the varsity squad.

During the “campus run” the boy’s teammates grabbed him, according to the complaint, tore off his underwear, held him down so he could not resist, grabbed his testicles and sodomized him with their fingers and other foreign objects"

This is systematic rape and sexual assault and not any hazing that I was ever aware of in the schools I attended. These children ARE fighting back and they're better than the rapists and the system that allowed the GANG rape.

Thank you for participating in this discussion. I featured some of your comments in post about the poll results. http://desplaines.patch.com/articles/poll-results-schools-are-breeding-ground-for-hazing-bullying

I can't believe how many people think this is normal behavior. First of all this is rape by obvious homosexuals. I don't know about the other guys here but forcing another guy down and grabbing his testicles and forcing fingers into his anus is not only extremely gay but also rape. How any of you can say that kids today whine too much blows me away. Add to all this is the fact that the coach witnessed and or directed it. This all comes down to crap parenting which is also the reason why we have seen other tragedies unfold recently at our schools. You all are gross and part of a larger problem.