Lithonia players cleared of bullying charges
- 9/3/10
- Categorized in: DeKalb News, Education, Football, Sports
Three Lithonia High School football players were exonerated of bullying charges after a disciplinary hearing last week.
The charges stemmed from hazing allegations against Lithonia football players while the team was at a camp at North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega early last month. According to a NGCSU campus police report, a 10th grade player accused older teammates of hazing activities.
“After hearing testimony from witnesses, players who were there, the hearing officer was unable to connect any form of bullying to the young men who were charged,” said Dr. Tim Freeman, associate superintendent of support services for the DeKalb County School System. “They were exonerated of all charges but this is an issue that is still open.”
Freeman said the school system is in the process of collecting all the information it can on the case.
“We are trying to develop new information to get new leads to make sure we have a full understanding of what happened,” Freeman said.
Allegations of hazing made against the players included whipping a player in the shower with a belt, holding a player down and shaving his head and urinating in water bottles, according to the police report.
An investigation by the school system still is ongoing involving hazing allegations against M.L. King High School football players at a camp at Rock Eagle in Eatonton last month.
No bullying charges have been brought against any M.L. King players, but coach Michael Carson suspended two players from the team pending the investigation.
We all need to take action against the source of bullying and let kids, parents, teachers, principals and politicians know that bullying is NOT okay. We all need to do something to make a difference.
An amazing young singer-songwriter named Becca Levy is doing just that.
She has started a music based anti bullying group called Right Now.
Here’s a link to her video for a cover of “Right Now” by Van Halen. The purpose of the video is to promote awareness to kids using both music and the Internet. The video begins with a public service announcement and is full of statistics that people of all ages need to see.
Becca lives in Washington, D.C. and just turned sixteen years old.
Rightnowagainstbullying.com