Police investigate alleged hazing in Niagara County

Man With No Name wrote:

"There are new developments in the investigation into alleged hazing involving the Wilson High School baseball team. This incident is not the first time hazing has been reported in the district.
The top brass of the state police in our area came to Wilson High School to meet with school officials on the ever increasing sex hazing investigation. New allegations are surfacing. Two baseball coaches, who are also teachers, have been suspended with pay, charged with failing to stop three varsity players from allegedly sexually abusing two JV players as a form of hazing on a school bus.
Teresa Willns, Wilson High School graduate, "I am almost ashamed to say I am from Wilson because of that. It's sick. It's sick."
News 4 sources say another case of alleged abuse on a Wilson baseball team school bus is emerging from a year ago, with the abused child suffering a year of punches and harassment for reporting the incident."-WIVB
It sounds like people in positions of responsibility are asleep at the switch in Wilson Central School District!!!
How long has this been going on, and how long has it been allowed to go on in Wilson???
It sounds just like the inner city Buffalo attitude of, "Don't Snitch, or else"!!!

Being a relative one of the involved, to try to set at least a little bit of ease to the minds of some people with information I know, and not to compromise the integrity of the case: The new surfaced allegations are not what they seem. It's sort of an oxymoron and that's all I can tell you. Fill in the blanks.

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/340666....
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/340666....
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/340666....
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/340666....
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/340666....
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/340666....
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/340666....

"WILSON — A player on the Wilson high school baseball team was sexually harassed last year by older teammates during a bus ride for an away game.

The boy and his parent complained to a team coach, and for some time after that, one coach rode the bus in front and the other at the back to keep an eye on the players who had been involved in unruly behavior.

The hazing complaint apparently went no further.

But this year, when both coaches were riding at the front of the bus, some of the older players sexually abused two junior varsity players."-The Buffalo News

So, that's how these Wilson Varsity Baseball team members repaid the trust the coaches placed in them to behave like human beings!!!

Man With No Name wrote:

"WILSON — A player on the Wilson high school baseball team was sexually harassed last year by older teammates during a bus ride for an away game.
The boy and his parent complained to a team coach, and for some time after that, one coach rode the bus in front and the other at the back to keep an eye on the players who had been involved in unruly behavior.
The hazing complaint apparently went no further.
But this year, when both coaches were riding at the front of the bus, some of the older players sexually abused two junior varsity players."-The Buffalo News
So, that's how these Wilson Varsity Baseball team members repaid the trust the coaches placed in them to behave like human beings!!!

Man! Quit Super-Sizing the new surfaced allegations! There was no sexual contact involved. It was simply kicking and punching and proceeding further after it was brought to the attention of the school with his parents.

Jon Doe wrote:

<quoted text>Man! Quit Super-Sizing the new surfaced allegations! There was no sexual contact involved. It was simply kicking and punching and proceeding further after it was brought to the attention of the school with his parents.

Well, then who ordered, or allowed, these "CODE REDS"???
"That is the story emerging from two law enforcement officials familiar with the Wilson investigation.
The sources did not want to be identified because they are not authorized to release information, but they came forward because of concern that a pattern has repeated itself in Wilson.
“The kid who complained [last year] was then singled out for the rest of last year by fellow teammates as a ‘narc’ and was punched by other teammates for telling his parent,” one of the sources said.
The coaching staff knew of hazing problems on the bus trip last year and, at one point, instituted a policy of having coaches sit at the back and front of the bus.
But that practice was discontinued prior to the new sexual-hazing incident during a bus ride home from an April 17 game in Niagara Falls.
Last week, Thomas J. Baia, 40, varsity baseball coach and middle school teacher, and William M. Atlas, 35, junior varsity coach and elementary gym teacher, were criminally charged with endangering the welfare of a child for failing to take action to prevent the April assaults.
It is because of the coaching staff’s knowledge of last year’s incident and an expectation that it could again occur that Baia and Atlas were charged, one of the law enforcement sources explained.
After learning of last year’s incident, one of the baseball coaches punished the varsity team by making members run “10 minutes of laps,” the law enforcement sources said.
The 2007 incident and disciplinary action were never reported up the chain of command, district officials told The Buffalo News on Tuesday.
District officials said that if they had known about last year’s incident, they would have taken strong measures.
“Had I been aware that there was a problem on the bus, I would have taken swift and immediate action to eliminate it,” said Wilson High School Principal Daniel Johnson.“But I was never made aware that there was a problem on the bus.”
Charles Jufer, the district’s athletic director, also said he was unaware of any previous problems.
“There are many things that are taken care of by a teacher or coach that never reach my office,” Jufer said Tuesday.
The practice of placing a coach at both the rear and front of the bus ended prior to the 2008 season because a member of the coaching staff tired of sitting in the rear of the bus with the high level of noise from players, the law enforcement sources said.
The two coaches have been suspended with pay from the district. The teaching contract requires they receive their salary.
In the April 17 attack, coaches and other adults were seated in the front of the bus.
“One of the victims was dragged in a headlock from his bus seat about two seats behind one of the coaches” to the back of the bus, one of the sources said.“The boy did not scream for fear of provoking an even worse attack by annoying his attackers. The other kids did not say anything or look back for fear they would be targeted next.”
...The source cited a story quoting psychologists that appeared in The Buffalo News on Sunday, stating that such hazing can become a tradition of behavior victimizing new children each year and eventually turning the innocent victims into future predators who pick on the weakest or lower-level players.
A form of secondary hazing, they said, occurs as the victims are ostracized by teammates and the community, which rallies around the coaches and the accused.
Many of the 650 people who showed up Thursday for a district-wide meeting voiced support for Baia and Atlas,..."

Jon Doe wrote:

<quoted text>Man! Quit Super-Sizing the new surfaced allegations! There was no sexual contact involved. It was simply kicking and punching and proceeding further after it was brought to the attention of the school with his parents.

Well, then who ordered, or allowed, these "CODE REDS"???
"That is the story emerging from two law enforcement officials familiar with the Wilson investigation.
The sources did not want to be identified because they are not authorized to release information, but they came forward because of concern that a pattern has repeated itself in Wilson.
“The kid who complained [last year] was then singled out for the rest of last year by fellow teammates as a ‘narc’ and was punched by other teammates for telling his parent,” one of the sources said.
The coaching staff knew of hazing problems on the bus trip last year and, at one point, instituted a policy of having coaches sit at the back and front of the bus.
But that practice was discontinued prior to the new sexual-hazing incident during a bus ride home from an April 17 game in Niagara Falls.
Last week, Thomas J. Baia, 40, varsity baseball coach and middle school teacher, and William M. Atlas, 35, junior varsity coach and elementary gym teacher, were criminally charged with endangering the welfare of a child for failing to take action to prevent the April assaults.
It is because of the coaching staff’s knowledge of last year’s incident and an expectation that it could again occur that Baia and Atlas were charged, one of the law enforcement sources explained.
After learning of last year’s incident, one of the baseball coaches punished the varsity team by making members run “10 minutes of laps,” the law enforcement sources said.
The 2007 incident and disciplinary action were never reported up the chain of command, district officials told The Buffalo News on Tuesday.
District officials said that if they had known about last year’s incident, they would have taken strong measures.
“Had I been aware that there was a problem on the bus, I would have taken swift and immediate action to eliminate it,” said Wilson High School Principal Daniel Johnson.“But I was never made aware that there was a problem on the bus.”
Charles Jufer, the district’s athletic director, also said he was unaware of any previous problems.
“There are many things that are taken care of by a teacher or coach that never reach my office,” Jufer said Tuesday.
The practice of placing a coach at both the rear and front of the bus ended prior to the 2008 season because a member of the coaching staff tired of sitting in the rear of the bus with the high level of noise from players, the law enforcement sources said.
The two coaches have been suspended with pay from the district. The teaching contract requires they receive their salary.
In the April 17 attack, coaches and other adults were seated in the front of the bus.
“One of the victims was dragged in a headlock from his bus seat about two seats behind one of the coaches” to the back of the bus, one of the sources said.“The boy did not scream for fear of provoking an even worse attack by annoying his attackers. The other kids did not say anything or look back for fear they would be targeted next.”
...The source cited a story quoting psychologists that appeared in The Buffalo News on Sunday, stating that such hazing can become a tradition of behavior victimizing new children each year and eventually turning the innocent victims into future predators who pick on the weakest or lower-level players.
A form of secondary hazing, they said, occurs as the victims are ostracized by teammates and the community, which rallies around the coaches and the accused.
Many of the 650 people who showed up Thursday for a district-wide meeting voiced support for Baia and Atlas,..."-The Buffalo News

Jon Doe wrote:

<quoted text>Man! Quit Super-Sizing the new surfaced allegations! There was no sexual contact involved. It was simply kicking and punching and proceeding further after it was brought to the attention of the school with his parents.

Do you actually me, and the rest of the public, to believe you over The Buffalo News?

Jon Doe wrote:

<quoted text>Man! Quit Super-Sizing the new surfaced allegations! There was no sexual contact involved. It was simply kicking and punching and proceeding further after it was brought to the attention of the school with his parents.

Do you actually expect me, and the rest of the public, to believe you (John Doe) over The Buffalo News?

Man With No Name wrote:

<quoted text>
Do you actually expect me, and the rest of the public, to believe you (John Doe) over The Buffalo News?

ok fine, so what do you want me to tell you. want me to spill my guts out and tell you everything I know at the cost of compromising the integrity of the case. What do want to know to prove my self genuine? Name it!

Jon Doe wrote:

<quoted text>ok fine, so what do you want me to tell you. want me to spill my guts out and tell you everything I know at the cost of compromising the integrity of the case. What do want to know to prove my self genuine? Name it!

I don't want you to compromise the case(s), because I firmly believe people need to pay for this outrage. Peace brother!

How can anybody say that shoving a cell phone up a students butt is 'just no big deal'???

Freaking tie me down and lock me up if anything like that ever happened to my son.

Stupid jocks. I hope they do jail time. Ha! then they'll get their share! Don't drop the soap!!

"WILSON — The two coaches charged in connection with the alleged assault on a Wilson school bus will not appear in Wilson Town Court until later this month.

A court official said Tuesday that the date was released in error, and the coaches will instead appear May 22 — the same day as three varsity baseball players are scheduled to appear.

The students — 18-year-old Geoffrey A. Seefeldt and 16-year-olds Colton J. Sherman and Christopher A. Sidote — have been charged with various counts of endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree aggravated sexual abuse.

State police said the alleged incident occurred April 17 on a bus carrying members of the varsity and junior varsity baseball teams, as they returned to Wilson from Niagara Falls."-Lockport's Union Sun & Journal

Disgusting story.

As a mother of sports students from a different school, This is so outragous. These are high school children they should not need to be babysat on the buses. If I didnt have faith in how my children were taken care of on the buses I would drive them myself. I feel the coaches are receiving to harsh of a punishment for what? Not babysitting these kids. The kids are at fault, they knew what they were doing. Leave the coaches alone. Yes the boys shouldnt have done what they did but you cant watch high school kids 24/7

I also find it very hard to believe that a "cell phone" was used. As a medical personnel we all know that they can DNA test the phone and that the child would be screaming to draw the attention of someone. Even my kids have heard so many conflicting stories about this case, You should hear the stories. I think that there may have been alot of add ons about the abuse...I find it hard to believe that even as serious as hazing can get, This seriousness and accusations are so fabricated, but if they use DNA then the truth will come out and I hope All these kids can get the help they need and move forward...

The only words missing from this crime was one of the 650 parents that came to the meeting to say "Oh well, Boys will be Boys". What a shame the season is more inportant than the what took place on that bus!!

The only words missing from this crime was one of the 650 parents that came to the meeting to say "Oh well, Boys will be Boys". What a shame the season is more important than the what took place on that bus!!

momstheone wrote:

I also find it very hard to believe that a "cell phone" was used. As a medical personnel we all know that they can DNA test the phone and that the child would be screaming to draw the attention of someone. Even my kids have heard so many conflicting stories about this case, You should hear the stories. I think that there may have been alot of add ons about the abuse...I find it hard to believe that even as serious as hazing can get, This seriousness and accusations are so fabricated, but if they use DNA then the truth will come out and I hope All these kids can get the help they need and move forward...

Turn OFF the tv honey, you're way out of reality.
One too many crime shows for you sweetie.
Put the cigarette out, turn the tv off, and get a LIFE. My word, but you're a joke.
DNA testing.. ya..
By the way, your benefit card is going to expire, ya better get right on that.

I think both Teachers should be charged for Endangering the Welfare of a Minor and let go of their Teaching Position WITHOUT PAY!
They knew what was going on. Last year, the child trusted them and they did NOTHING. Now, more kids were hurt on the bus and they still did nothing to stop it. How would they feel if it were their child this happened to?

so now one of the 16 year old boys from ransomville that has been arrested for the abuse, was picked up yesterday on a drug possession charge. Nice.