Dear Parents, Staff, and Students,
Many of you have reached out to express concern about allegations of bullying, harassment, and hazing involving our High School football team. I want you to know that the administration shares the concern about these allegations, and we are fully investigating these allegations. We will follow the facts and address any behavior that is not in keeping with the letter or spirit of our policies and code of conduct.
Let me be clear, Brunswick School Department has a zero-tolerance policy for hazing, bullying behavior, and the like. That policy can be found here. As Superintendent, I am committed to our core mission of educating our students and helping them to learn the skills necessary to become ethical, responsible members of our community. One essential tenet of our mission is ensuring that we have a learning environment and climate that is welcoming and nurturing - one that is free from bullying, harassment, discrimination, and hazing.
I want to reiterate that our conduct policies apply in the classroom, in our halls, in our parking lots, on our buses, on the ball field, and when students are engaged in school activities off-campus. We have drafted clear policies on these matters, and our staff works hard to ensure that students are aware of these expectations through the Brunswick High School student handbook. However, I encourage you as parents to take the time to talk with your child about the importance of self-respect, to discuss the seriousness and adverse effects of bullying behaviors, and to have an open dialogue with your child about the impact their behavior can have on others.
Although we cannot share the details of this investigation while it's underway, we see this incident as a shared opportunity for parents and staff to come together to set positive examples for our children.
Please know that we are taking this matter seriously, and we appreciate your support and understanding while we complete this investigation.
Sincerely,
Phillip J. Potenziano, Ed.D.
Superintendent