This article will be updated with information from the Oct 8 Olentangy Local Schools board meeting.
Olentangy Local Schools is set to hold its first board meeting after hazing allegations publicly emerged surrounding the Olentangy Orange High School girls soccer team led to coach suspensions and the removal of students from the team.
The Olentangy Local Schools board is set to meet Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Olentangy administrative offices at 7840 Graphics Way in Lewis Center. A district spokesperson told The Dispatch that because it is an ongoing investigation, the board will be unable to address student or staff discipline but the matter could still be raised.
Public speakers can sign up to address the board at the meeting.
The meeting comes
in the wake of revelations about alleged hazing on the Olentangy Orange girls soccer team. The Dispatch reported exclusively that videos of an alleged hazing incident – dubbed "the kidnapping" – show Olentangy Orange High School girls soccer players binding younger team members' wrists, blindfolding them and force-feeding them uncooked hot dogs and sardines.
Videos of the alleged hazing incident that happened Aug. 11 and reviewed by The Dispatch show several of the high school seniors made the players take their pants off and wear adult-sized diapers, zip-tied their wrists and wrapped their arms to their chests with plastic wrap. The girls also wore diapers on their heads and goggles covered in duct tape over their eyes.
The younger team members were force-fed raw hot dogs and sardines, piled into cars, driven around town, and sprayed with Silly String, shaving cream and glitter. Seniors asked their younger teammates sexually explicit questions.
The Oct. 2 district issued a statement said that it has opened another investigation into the alleged hazing incident and has placed coaching staff on administrative leave pending the outcome. Several high school seniors allegedly involved in the hazing have also been kicked off the soccer team, according to a source with knowledge of the incident who spoke to The Dispatch.
Superintendent Todd Meyer said the school district became aware of the alleged hazing on Sept. 16, when a district teacher alerted officials to a rumor involving the Olentangy Orange High School girls' soccer team over the summer. No parent, student or anyone else had previously reported the allegation, Meyer said.
"We want to be clear that we have zero tolerance for hazing within our schools," Meyer said in the Oct. 2 statement. "It is disappointing that the students’ activity was apparently planned by the players in advance and took place in the driveway of the home of a district parent, yet no one involved or aware reported it. All of us have a responsibility to speak up when something is not right."
Although the incident was investigated by the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, no charges were filed. The sheriff's office said it conducted a criminal investigation but has filed no charges due to insufficient evidence and a lack of cooperation from "involved parties."
However, when The Dispatch asked for the files on the case, the sheriff's office said it was still investigating and later said it was talking with the Delaware County Prosecutor's Office about the matter.
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Olentangy Schools board to meet in wake of Orange soccer hazing fallout
