PORTLAND, Maine — There’s a new plan to prevent hazing and bullying among students in Brunswick.
This comes after a hazing incident happened within the school’s football team last fall.
The district will be hiring an outside hazing prevention team as well as creating an anonymous reporting tool for students.
It’s all in an effort to create a more inclusive culture and prevent incidents like what happened in the fall.
The contract will be with the organization “StopHazing,” which will conduct interviews and focus groups with students and parents.
The organization will also collect data on the perception of hazing within the high school through surveys.
It comes after an investigation into hazing on the football team led to the removal of several players, a coach being fired and the remainder of their 2021 season being canceled.
This new prevention initiative will get started in the spring, with the hopes of giving recommendations for changes before the next school year.
Brunswick’s superintendent hopes it will add on to the work the district has already done since the fall.
“What we’re looking to do is to try and improve and expand the positive aspects that we have here in Brunswick, at the high school in particular, and then also work to remove those areas or concerns that don’t bring value to students,” Brunswick Superintendent Phil Potenziano said.
The second tool the district will soon be implementing is an anonymous reporting system.
It’s a tip line of sorts that will allow students to report things like threats, bullying and mental health concerns.
That system is already live at a number of other Maine schools and will begin in Brunswick by the fall.