East Meadow Superintendent Dr. Robert Dillon announced that he would meet with all district coaches on Oct. 1, in response to the incident, to reiterate the district's policy on hazing and the expected behavior of its athletes.
The announcement came just about a week after Vinnie Mascia, head coach of the East Meadow Jets varsity football team, invited local attorney and former football coach Alan Hodish to lecture his boys on the seriousness of hazing.
The East Meadow School District deserves credit for making a concerted effort to ensure that what allegedly happened at Mepham doesn't happen here. But we feel that even more can be done.
In discussions with parents in the Bellmore-Merrick area, some have suggested that a class on hazing be incorporated into the preseason football camps that so many schools around the county, including East Meadow, take part in every year. We think this is a great idea that the East Meadow School District should definitely consider.
With most preseason football camps running about five days long, it's not too much to ask that players and coaches set aside a three-hour session during which experts on the issue can be brought in to make a presentation.
The class should first and foremost define what, specifically, constitutes hazing and the impact it can have on individuals. Case studies should also be offered, examining past incidents of hazing around the country.
Perhaps most important, though, players and coaches should be encouraged to ask questions and open a dialogue on the issue among themselves. After the lecture, players can engage in role-playing. The moderators can set up hazing scenarios to teach players ways to intervene and defuse such situations. How they can go about reporting such incidents should also be discussed.
Once camp is over and the football season begins, players should sign an anti-hazing pledge, promising never to engage in hazing and to report any occurrences they witness to their coaches.
Parents should be encouraged to sign the agreement as well. Though many high school football players tower over 6 feet and tip the scales at 250 pounds, we must never lose sight of the fact that they are still kids who need their parents' guidance.
It's important for parents of athletes to take an active roll in their kids' activities, not only for the safety of their children but for the safety of others.
