Needham Girls HS Hazing

Why didn't WCVB get involved they are in town

Oh yeah, we forgot, Cujo knows way more about our mischievous kids than we do because not one of us actually knows how to parent and raise responsible, kind and just plain good kids. They are all rotten to the core (or at least sneaky liars).

All teenagers lead a dual existence. The side that they show their parents (based on what they understand their parents want to see in terms of behavior) and the way they really are when their parents aren't watching. The difference in the dual existence obviously will vary from kid to kid but if you think you know everything about what your kid does, thinks, and says you are naive and more importantly not terribly fit to be a parent. Kids are anything but rotten. In fact I like most of the dogs and teenagers more than 98% of the adults that I know.

- Cujo

The question didn't ask for any one individual. The answer is the coach first, players second, parents third (before, during and after). The problem is that those affected want to blame the principal, the media and everyone here. The afore mentioned were all in control.

I disagree with you, plain and simple. Prior to WBZ getting involved, everyone at Needham appeared pretty happy with how things were going.

If the person either broke a company rule or law, there's no "weighing". A cashier who works really hard, has great customer service skills, has been long time employee decides to take a little from the register. Gone, no "weighing" involved. It's pretty simple.

That's called stealing. That is not the case here. But it still get "weighed", but unfortunately stealing does not tip the scale in the cashier's favor.

Why must you find a single entity to blame? It seems to me that there a number of confluences that came together to turn this into a fiasco.

I know you will find this hard to believe, because you obviously have your closed little mind made up, but I am no way involved with the situation. My kids don't go to Needham High. In fact my kids aren't even in public schools. I don't have any connections to NEFC, Forekicks or the coach. I don't even live in the part of the state where these various organizations and people are located. I just believe in fair play and from what I've read, the whole incident has been overblown and could have been handled a whole lot better than it was.

The question didn't ask for any one individual. The answer is the coach first, players second, parents third (before, during and after). The problem is that those affected want to blame the principal, the media and everyone here. The afore mentioned were all in control.

Yes it does. People make mistakes. They are human and loyalty to people who have done a good job for you absolutely has to be weigh in those cases. Note, I said "weigh", because that is exactly what you do when judging an issue like this.

If the person either broke a company rule or law, there's no "weighing". A cashier who works really hard, has great customer service skills, has been long time employee decides to take a little from the register. Gone, no "weighing" involved. It's pretty simple.

Let's see. You think this was the first time it ever happened during his tenure? What's his record? Winning tends to obscure the darker aspects of a coaches character which has been discussed many times on this board.

I have no idea what this coach's win/loss record at Needham High School is. Perhaps you do and will tell us all.

Pretty unusual celebration, no????

Apparently not in terms of Needham High School traditions. However, it certainly explains why it was done Oct 29 and not preseason.

I'm spekaing in general terms, no specific to this issue. If warranted, yes. It doesn't matter how long an employee has worked for someone.

Yes it does. People make mistakes. They are human and loyalty to people who have done a good job for you absolutely has to be weigh in those cases. Note, I said "weigh", because that is exactly what you do when judging an issue like this.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/4...b13446.jpg?v=0

When my son was a freshman in hs (2004), he was thrilled to make varsity.
He was scared when he found out that the seniors were going to shave his head as was the tradition for rookies.
He was horrified after they did it, on a friday morning, before school, on the day of the big pep rally. They only shaved half of his head. He looked stupid. So did the other freshmen. And they were teased all day long, especially when they walked on stage at the pep rally.
He couldn't wait till the game was over that night. He shaved the rest of his hair (and started praying for the day it would all grow back, no doubt). The parents of the freshmen all worried how their kids would handle this. Several were quite vocal that it was over the line.

The next year, the school principal stepped in to put a stop to the hazing, in all sports. The coach made sure the soccer players knew it was out of bounds.
Then the incoming freshmen class asked if it was ok if they did it to themselves!
The principal said it would be OK, if every student involved did it to themself AND had a note from their parents allowing it.

EVERY member of the ENTIRE TEAM, INCLUDING MY SON, showed up with the note. They all shaved their own heads. He couldn't have been prouder.

Teens are weird little creatures. Trying to judge this incident from the outside is probably impossible. I know bullying extremes in school can be dangerous, but I have no idea if the senior were bullies or just kooks. I doubt anyone on this board does.

Your's is a good example of how it unites kids. Even the year only the freshmen had half a head shaved. That undoubtedly gave the freshmen a common bond.

I am however surprised that there weren't lawsuits for the razor nicks that must have occurred during the shaving process. ;)

OMG! Do you actually manage people? You think you should immediately fire someone who according to the school superintendent has served the school well for the past 10 years?

Let's see. You think this was the first time it ever happened during his tenure? What's his record? Winning tends to obscure the darker aspects of a coaches character which has been discussed many times on this board.

Not in your book!

Coaches don't always rule.

Hope Solo

Oh please! Don't get Cujo going on Hope Solo!!!

I don't think the people involved (kids, coach, parents, administrators) even regarded it as "hazing" which is why it wasn't a pre-season thing. I think they viewed it as a celebration of winning a league title. You can think it was misguided of them to think that way, but I believe that is why no one reacted to it until WBZ got involved and presented it as a hazing incident with out of control parents heading to court to avoid their child's punishment.

Pretty unusual celebration, no????

The thing I am amazed by with all of this is the timeline. If the girls had done the ritualistic hazing type thing during pre-season, a few things would be different:

I don't think the people involved (kids, coach, parents, administrators) even regarded it as "hazing" which is why it wasn't a pre-season thing. I think they viewed it as a celebration of winning a league title. You can think it was misguided of them to think that way, but I believe that is why no one reacted to it until WBZ got involved and presented it as a hazing incident with out of control parents heading to court to avoid their child's punishment.

OMG! Do you actually manage people? You think you should immediately fire someone who according to the school superintendent has served the school well for the past 10 years?

I'm spekaing in general terms, no specific to this issue. If warranted, yes. It doesn't matter how long an employee has worked for someone.