Lisbon's football team has a 'culture of hazing', says law firm

An investigation conducted by a Maine law firm found that a “culture of hazing” exists within the Lisbon High School football team, according to a report obtained by Maine's Total Coverage. Portland-based Drummond Woodsum was hired by the Lisbon School Department in early October. to investigate a high school hazing incident. According to the report, Drummond Woodsum was called in to investigate after students told school officials about an incident in the boys' locker room during the preseason in which a player was pinned to the ground and attacked. with a broomstick. The report also states that school administrators were told something similar had happened in previous years. Drummond Woodsum said school administrators asked the company to investigate whether hazing occurs among current Lisbon High football players and to assess whether hazing was part of the football program's culture. The report states that some players, mainly lower-class people, were locked in with a cage door by upper-class people, and some were poked with a broomstick by upper-class people. According to the law firm, it was clear that this activity was not new to this year's football team. “Numerous players identified a specific underclassman who was poked in the stomach, back and ass by an upperclassman this season,” who they would not identify. Drummond Woodsum said in his report. The law firm also found that players hit each other in the locker room with leather straps in a way that left a mark on at least one freshman, according to the report. “These 'belt battles' involved older players 'fighting' younger players or forcing them to participate, and were instigated by upper-class people,” the report said. Drummond Woodsum also said a freshman had his head put in the trash can by a junior. In addition, the law The company said that freshmen or first-year players were expected to wear equipment to the field based on team traditions, more so than upperclassmen. “The preponderance of evidence collected during our investigation indicates a culture of hazing and rough behavior within the football team,” Drummond Woodsum said. said in his report. “This is based on extensive detailed accounts from almost all players about what they have experienced and/or seen in the locker room this season and previous seasons.” All football-related activities at Lisbon High School have been suspended since October 4 due to the ongoing hazing investigation. This led to the football team losing the last four games of the season. The Lisbon High football team now faces a two-year ban from competing at the varsity level as a result of forfeiting the remainder of the season. According to Appendix Z of the Maine Principals' Association Handbook, a school that submits a schedule of play in Heal Point or Crabtree sports for a specific sport and does not complete that schedule “will be prohibited from participating in varsity competitions leading to postseason game in that sport'. sport for the next two years after that season. Lisbon High School could appeal the ban by petitioning the MPA Interscholastic Management Committee for a waiver due to extenuating circumstances. The hazing incident that led to the suspension of Lisbon High School's football activities is one of two investigated. in the city. Superintendent of Schools Richard Green has said the Lisbon School Department and Drummond Woodsum were investigating a hazing incident that is separate from another incident being investigated by the Lisbon Police Department. Green said the hazing incidents occurred at different times occurred, but both involved Lisbon High School football players. The hazing investigation, led by the Lisbon School Department and Drummond Woodsum, resulted in the removal of seven student-athletes from the football team's roster on October 16 Ryan McGee of Lisbon Maine's Total Coverage said his department submitted the hazing case it was investigating to the Androscoggin County District Attorney's Office for review. The next day, District Attorney Neil McLean Jr. confirmed. to Maine's Total Coverage that his office received the report from the Lisbon Police Department. Unfortunately we cannot provide any further details at this time. It is difficult to say when a decision will be made as we need to ensure that we have done everything we can to assess this case to a fair conclusion,” McLean said in a statement shared on October 17. McGee told Maine's Total Coverage that Lisbon police knew nothing about the hazing incident that was investigated by the Lisbon School Department and Drummond Woodsum. Green said the Lisbon School Department has not received any details about the hazing investigation from the Lisbon Police Department. In 2021, Drummond Woodsum was hired by the Brunswick school department to investigate a hazing incident that led to the cancellation of the Brunswick High School football team. season. Previous reporting:

LISBON, Maine —

An investigation conducted by a Maine law firm has found that a “culture of hazing” exists within the Lisbon High School football team, according to a report obtained by Maine's Total Coverage.

Portland-based Drummond Woodsum was hired by the Lisbon School Department in early October to investigate a high school hazing incident.

According to the report, Drummond Woodsum was called in to investigate after students told school officials about an incident in the boys' locker room during the preseason in which a player was pushed to the ground and attacked with a broomstick. The report also states that school administrators were told something similar had happened in previous years.

Drummond Woodsum said school administrators asked the company to investigate whether hazing occurred among current Lisbon High football players and to assess whether hazing was part of the football program's culture.

The report states that some players, mainly lower-class people, were locked in with a cage door by upper-class people, and some were poked with a broomstick by upper-class people. According to the law firm, it was clear that this activity was not new to this year's football team.

“Numerous players identified a specific underclassman who was poked in the stomach, back and butt by an upperclassman this season, whom they would not identify,” Drummond Woodsum said in his report.

The law firm also found that players hit each other in the locker room with leather straps in a way that left a mark on at least one freshman, according to the report.

“These 'belt battles' involved older players 'fighting' or forcing younger players to participate, and were initiated by upper-class people,” the report said.

Drummond Woodsum said it also discovered a freshman had his head put in a trash can by a junior. In addition, the law firm said freshman or first-year players were expected to wear equipment to the field based on team traditions, more so than upperclassmen.

“The preponderance of evidence collected during our investigation indicates a culture of hazing and rough behavior within the football team,” Drummond Woodsum said in his report. “This is based on extensive detailed accounts from almost all players about what they have experienced and/or seen in the locker room this season and previous seasons.”

All football-related activities at Lisbon High School have been suspended since October 4 due to the ongoing hazing investigation. This led to the football team losing the last four games of the season.

The Lisbon High football team now faces a two-year ban from competing at the varsity level as a result of forfeiting the remainder of the season. According to appendix Z of the Maine Principals' Association Handbooka school that submits a schedule of play in Heal Point or Crabtree sports for a specific sport and does not complete that schedule “will be prohibited from participating in varsity competitions leading to postseason play in that season for the next two years following that season sport.”

Lisbon High School could appeal the ban by applying to the MPA Interscholastic Management Committee for an extenuating circumstances waiver.

The hazing incident that prompted the suspension of Lisbon high school football activities is one of two incidents under investigation in the city.

Superintendent of Schools Richard Green has said the Lisbon School Department and Drummond Woodsum were investigating a hazing incident that is separate from another incident being investigated by the Lisbon Police Department. Green said the hazing incidents occurred at different times, but both involved Lisbon High School football players.

The hazing investigation led by the Lisbon School Department and Drummond Woodsum has resulted in the removal of seven student-athletes from the football team's roster.

On October 16, Lisbon Police Chief Ryan McGee informed Maine's Total Coverage that his department was submitting the hazing case it was investigating to the Androscoggin County District Attorney's Office for review.

The next day, District Attorney Neil McLean Jr. confirmed. told Maine's Total Coverage that his office had received the report from the Lisbon Police Department.

“Unfortunately we cannot provide any further details at this time. It is difficult to say when a decision will be made as we need to ensure that we have done everything we can to review this matter to a just conclusion,” McLean said in a statement shared on October 17.

McGee told Maine's Total Coverage that Lisbon police knew nothing about the hazing incident, which was investigated by the Lisbon School Department and Drummond Woodsum.

Meanwhile, Green said the Lisbon School Department has not received any details about the hazing investigation from the Lisbon Police Department.

In 2021, Drummond Woodsum was hired by the Brunswick School Department to investigate a hazing incident that led to the cancellation of the Brunswick High School football team's season.

Previous coverage:

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