The fallout in Lake Zurich begins.................
- Thread starter MWittman
- Start date
No. It's about protecting the kids from themselves and from adults who look the other way.
I'm not sure where to swing the hammer here. You have kids you did this both in and off campus - in the presence of parents.
This is as much a cultural failure as it is parents vs kids. This has gone unchecked for a long time to the point where the kids (inmates) ran the asylum.
Where I'm most troubled is that the kids okay the center of this - the abusers, have not been disciplined to any of my sources knowledge.
I think people at LZ know who thy are, I think other kids know who they are and no one has the stones to step up and call hem to the mat.
This is as much a cultural failure as it is parents vs kids. This has gone unchecked for a long time to the point where the kids (inmates) ran the asylum.
Where I'm most troubled is that the kids okay the center of this - the abusers, have not been disciplined to any of my sources knowledge.
I think people at LZ know who thy are, I think other kids know who they are and no one has the stones to step up and call hem to the mat.
Yea, there are serious institutional problems that are tough to resolve just by removing "bad actors" (kids and adults). Sounds like the crimes were only brought to the light by someone outside the program completely. So while it would suck to lose out on your senior season or whatever, I cant say it wouldn't be a fair life lesson.
If this has been going on as long as they say I wonder if it will affect Stortz's standing at Conant?
HHSTigerFan:
In light of what has emerged, if what has been alleged is revealed to be true, then yes.
It has been made clear through the trickle of resignations, adults were aware of this abuse and did nothing. If knowledge of this misery and deprivation is as widespread as I suspect, more administrators should have their heads on the shopping block and the football program should be punished beyond simply probation or restriction from post-season play.
I say cut the football program for a minimum of two years.
Newt, agree with all your points here, and some had some additional thoughts.
1. Its a team sport and no matter what non-participants are going to get harmed in any punishment, but, to not have punishment or remedial action at all is not a solution. Kind of like the orphan on trial for murder, don't convict me because I am an orphan.
2. as pointed out earlier, who is going to coach this mess? If not a strong figure, no good will come next year
3. there was a very long thread previously about basketball student sections being to "boisterous" with their chants towards opposing teams, can you imagine what the coming year will look like for LZ students vs. opposing teams?
this is a big stinking pile of mess and it will not be resolved without further ugliness. Much of the issue for future seasons could have been solved if the issue had been stomped out hard in September when it first came to light instead of trying to sweep it under the rug.
stripes:
I agree with you as I do with Newt.
This was no clubhouse of fun and games where kids sat around and involved themselves with spontaneous rainy-day fun for boys. Under normal circumstances, I would loathe to have the IHSA getting involved, but the conditions merit such action. This incident requires the football program at LZ to be torn down and re-built entirely from the ground up.
This is beginning to resemble the Jimmy Savile scandal.
Norm all good points.
I'm not sure where this all ends up. I think many more folks will lose their jobs here. But knowing who I've confirmed of the players that were involved, I'm gonna have a very hard time watching them play week 1 next year. Can't imagine they will be allowed to do so but hard to tell.
The larger travesty would be if the program is shut down for a year or two and the perpetrators transfer to another school and play. If there is a ban on playing or those players who participated in the acts are barred by the school from playing as punishment the IHSA MUST not allow those players to play elsewhere.
Agree with you fully on more will lose their jobs, it was an utter failure of administration (management) that compounded the problem. Also agree with you on the players (a couple) involved and watching them play, know of them also and it would really make it difficult to watch.
I should have guessed I was responding to Tigger. The multiple question marks are a dead giveaway.
One more poster to add to my ignore list.
Just the kids involved (and identified) in the specific particular incidents that are being litigated?
If the allegations of widespread perverse behavior over many years are to be believed, and given how most of the kids have clammed up and aren't talking, then it is very safe to assume that there are clearly more current kids in the program involved than just those who have been, and will be, identified through this particular legal action.
What good is it to ban just those kids who have been identified if there are other bad apples spoiling the bunch?
Not just all of this, but the lawsuit mentions the wrestling and x-country teams as well.
MC63... your references to former President Bill Clinton (and his actions) would be deemed "political", and therefore not to be discussed on this forum per EdgyTim.
I'm very concerned of the thought that the only thing keeping kids from committing heinous criminal acts is the lack of a locker room supervisor. Not saying locker room supervision isnt a technique to use, but there are much larger issues
It would work fine if these acts only occurred at the high school. Most of the worst stuff happened away from campus.
Punish the kids because of the kids.
Everyone knew. This was not a secret to the football team. Nobody protected the ones who couldn't protect themselves. Isn't that the lesson we want to teach our children?
As I have written and said many times: If I am Fremd, there is NO WAY i play them if they have a football team next season. You think the media is swarming now, wait until opening night. At Fremd.
There is so much stink here you could never wash it off.
mc140:
Yes, you do cut the program.
With the little we know now, it smacks of a lack of institutional control but, worse, it reeks of the development of a culture among teen-aged boys at LZ.
This phenomenon is moored to several athletic programs. To redeem the school, you must eliminate any program which fostered this atmosphere and advanced a sick tradition.
I'm not kidding, you obviously know a lot more about the case then I do since you have been covering it. As more facts come out the truth could be a lot worse then what has already been alleged but I don't know that. My opinion of what happened right now is pretty disgusting and shameful but I don't know if everything I've heard is true?
It's not just boys. Some girl at Stevenson beat up another girl on the school bus. The beater had a partner who recorded the episode and posted it on Facebook. Obviously, not honors students.
How many years ago was the scandal at one of the Glenbrook high schools involving horrendous hazing on a girls team? Basically, the girls being hazed knew that they could inflict the same or worse punishment to the freshmen the following year.
Ten years, fifteen? I wonder if the officials there did/ do any follow-up.
How many years ago was the scandal at one of the Glenbrook high schools involving horrendous hazing on a girls team? Basically, the girls being hazed knew that they could inflict the same or worse punishment to the freshmen the following year.
Ten years, fifteen? I wonder if the officials there did/ do any follow-up.
I think that not playing LZ is easier said than done. What would you have Fremd do? Cancel the contract? Intentionally forfeit the game?
And why limit this to just Fremd?
I don't think they will be allowed to field a team based on just what happened last fall. Never mind the question of what happened in years past.
How many kids not involved on either side of this could have put an end to sexual assault?
There's nobody right in this situation. Nobody. As hard as this might be to swallow, sports in HS are not a right. They are, and always should be a privilege. It seems, imo, that Lake Zurich should lose that privilege.
With NSD wrapped up, I'm curious how the college recruiters will respond to this once in school visits start back up in the spring?
Maybe my priorities are in left field, but this isn't even 54th on my list of questions regarding this situation.
I wouldn't want Montini to play them if these allegations are factual and from comments on this board I believe for the most part they are.
Just throwing it out there. living in northern burbs, the things I've heard beyond what's being reported is so twisted..It beyond comprehension.
if any player is being recruited, any involvement in this by them, if it comes out will in all likelihood kill their chances of scholarship. college coaches will SPRINT away from a player involved with something like this, especially in this day and age, all they will need to hear is "sexual assault" and they will run as fast as they can. even the urinating part will make them run.
