Hiding behind the truth is becoming way too popular in the world
of sports.
Take for instance the reports of alleged hazing by members of
the Kane boys’ varsity basketball team and how the Kane Area School
District has handled the situation.
Anonymous sources from the quiet Pennsylvania borough have
called The Era over the past two weeks claiming what a small group
– possibly three athletes – of players did to another student.
Out of respect for the victim, the community and even the
offenders, these people have understandably kept quiet on names –
but not on details. Unfortunately, that information is confidential
and unofficial until someone is willing to go on record, or the
allegations are publicly confirmed.
Yet, the powers-that-be – yes, the Kane Area School District,
its superintendent and board members – have tiptoed around the
touchy subject to nip a full-scale blowout of the situation.
Call it the Tiger Woods effect, but can people, in a statement
(not in 140 characters on Twitter) or in a genuine stream of
consciousness, explain they were wrong anymore?
To be more clear, this is what I mean: An admittance sans
pressure from two weeks of scathing media coverage and more press
conferences than Super Bowl week. Something like, God help us, a
spur of the moment but thoughtful, “What I did was wrong and I am
responsible for my misjudgments. I will try to do better next
time.”
No, that mentality rarely exposes itself. Every week, something
happens to a dishonest, sometimes disingenuous degree. So we hear
about celebrities in affairs, athletes flat out lying about doping
and school officials tampering with important documents or
procedures…oh, hey there Tiger, Mark McGwire, University of
Michigan. Go Blue!
Detach yourself from TMZ for a second to realize these same
issues happen to people right next door; just because they don’t
get a headline on national TV doesn’t mean they aren’t
newsworthy.
For the KASD and its board members to address what is
essentially a public relations nightmare, they need to look no
further than how neighboring districts acted in response to their
own conduct problems.
Back in January, seven-time defending Allegheny Mountain League
wrestling champion Port Allegany was found to have violated Article
V of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association
Constitution.
The team was forced to forfeit individual and team wins from
three matches, one dual and one tournament. The sanctions stemmed
from violations dealing with the certification of physicals and
appropriate parental permission for participation.
Instead of bypassing the issue at hand, Port Allegany principal
Marc Budd sent out a press release pointing out two key issues: He
attested there was a problem, and he said the school did everything
to fix the matter. Comments were also provided by superintendent
Tony Flint and head coach Sean Lathrop.
And, after getting over the ramifications, the stir-up caused by
ineligible wrestlers has passed to the wayside. Lathrop still
reports his matches to The Era, and his team, which was ultimately
cost another AMWL title due to the forfeits, responded with a
second-place finish in the league.
A few years ago, Bradford’s own school district faced a
predicament. In 2005, information surfaced that four players on the
varsity basketball team vandalized a pool at a Comfort Inn in
Clearfield.
“I can confirm that an incident involving some of our athletes
took place. All the students were suspended for one (basketball)
contest,” BAHS Principal Ken Coffman said when the vandalism was
revealed.
Athletic director Tim Walter and head coach Dave Fuhrman were on
the same page with Coffman, Walter helping out with the
investigation and Fuhrman complying with the suspensions.
Fuhrman probably said it best with his summation of the incident
when he explained, “…Kids make mistakes. The kids knew they were
wrong. It’s over and done with.”
I agree with his statement.
Errors can be fixed, forgotten over time and forgiven by
subsequent actions.
Speculation is much worse, especially when the veracity of an
account isn’t quickly proven — or disproved. The same kind of
gossip happening in middle school lunchrooms is present in the real
world. It’s sad, but if no truth is evident, then people begin to
believe whatever they can wrap their heads around.
So when Kane’s school board members use Family Education Rights
to Privacy Act as a shield, or the superintendent releases a
statement “declining to make any comment relevant to student
behavior or subsequent disciplinary issues,” they distance
themselves from some of the ethics that they inherited when voted
into office.
There doesn’t need to be an attempt to humiliate the students
involved, but if the allegations are true, then a release stating
there was a wrongdoing among players on the basketball team is a
must.
No names, these kids are still in high school.
Just facts.
End the hearsay, and leave it to the 12-year-olds.
