Media covered recent Deer Park School Board meeting as school board outlined its actions over hazing incident. A previously scheduled presentation highlighting the achievements of students and staff at the Deer Park Middle School turned out to be just the thing that approximately 375 residents who attended last week’s school board meeting needed.But it was not the presentation that they had come to hear. Instead, most were there to get information on how the district was handling an incident of hazing involving the JV Basketball team; an incident in which a student was physically assaulted. The story appeared on the cover of Newsday the day of the meeting and was the subject of news reports throughout the day by radio and television news casters.

“It’s a terrible black eye for our district,” said one parent who spoke about the incident and who asked that her name not be used. “This is not what Deer Park is all about.”

Two other residents who have children in the district’s athletic programs agreed, adding that they believe the district should take strong and swift action against the students involved, if and when the facts support the initial allegations. “This is a very serious incident and we cannot tolerate it,” said one father.

The alleged incident occurred Tuesday, January 17 in the high school where several members of the junior varsity basketball team wrestled another student to the floor. According to Suffolk County Police, one of the students touched the victim’s private parts without his consent. There was no injury reported, but the victim told his parents about it and they notified police, who then notified the school district. Police arrested a 14-year old youth, charging him with juvenile delinquency and two of his teammates, a 14 and 15 year old. The identities of the youths were not released by police or the school district due to their ages.

Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisiak notified the school board of the incident on Wednesday. Following discussions with several key administrators and basketball team members, their families and the team’s coach, it was decided that the district would terminate the JV Basketball season.

“The Deer Park School District and this Board of Education has no tolerance for this type of behavior,” said Michael Oddo, school board president in a statement to the public made at the meeting. “We will act decisively to ensure the health and safety of our students and our deepest concern as a school district is that we establish and maintain an environment that is safe and conducive to learning and mutual respect.”

After expressing his sympathy to the victim and his family, Organisiak said that the district took “prompt and professional,” action when it was made aware of the incident.

“This is not just a school matter,” he said. “This is also a matter that is being pursued by the Suffolk County Police and, as such, we have been strongly advised. not to answer any direct questions about it, but you can rest assured that we are doing all that is humanly possible to protect our students and that whether or not the police were involved in this matter, we would have made the decision to cancel the JV Basketball season. The events surrounding this issue represent a clear violation of the district’s code of conduct and we must send a message to the members of the team and our student body and community that behaviors such as those alleged will not be tolerated.”

In addition to canceling the basketball season for the team, the district is putting the three alleged perpetrators on principal’s suspension and has reassigned the teacher-coach, Justin Guttman, outside of the classroom. The district is also maintaining contact with the victim’s family to ensure that its needs are met, said Organisiak.

Most of the residents at the meeting supported the board’s decision to cancel the JV basketball season and applauded when it was officially announced. The action taken against the teacher however, was not as well received, with many of Guttman’s students speaking in his defense.

“He is creative in his teaching methods and applies all types of learning methods,” said student Andrea Pop. “He has poise and makes us love history. He has a position (as a teacher) that is completely separate from being a coach and it is not fair to take our teacher out of our class at a critical time.”

“We are here—students, parents and teachers—to support a teacher we know and love,” said student Jessica Szewczuk.

The students were interrupted by applause as they spoke. “Mr. Guttman did not do anything wrong,” continued another student, Peter Engle. “He took on a lot in is first year as teacher here, and he is being used as a scapegoat.” Again, a round of applause from the more than 300 residents and school staff attending the meeting.

A call to a teacher union representative to speak on Mr. Guttman’s behalf was not returned, however, since Guttman is not a tenured teacher in the district, he is not entitled to the administrative hearings to determine whether he can retain his position. The School Board has the ability to retain him as both teacher and coach, or remove him from his position of coach and or teacher.

Ironically, the presentation at the beginning of the meeting discussed the strides the district has made in reducing the number of school suspensions and fights, an indication, said one parent that a lot has been done. But, he added, last week’s incident at the high school shows that more is needed.

“It’s a matter of demanding more from our kids and providing more discipline,” said the parent. “And that is something we have to do as a society, not only here in Deer Park, but all over.”