Damascus Football Forfeits Games After Out-Of-Season Practice

GERMANTOWN, MD — Damascus High School's football program — which is on probation over a junior varsity locker room rape investigation — has come under fire once again.

According to a letter sent to the Damascus community on Tuesday, the program held an out-of-season practice on the high school's stadium field on May 19. That practice reportedly took place less than a week after Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Smith announced a crackdown on the program and staff shakeups at Damascus.

"Following an investigation, it was confirmed that a number of returning Damascus football players and coaches conducted an out-of-season practice," Jeffrey K. Sullivan, director of systemwide athletics for the school system, wrote. "The practice occurred during a restricted period, in which there are parameters in place regarding the number of returning players and the ability of coaches to coach teams outside of the confines of the official season."

These violations, according to Sullivan, will result in the Damascus varsity and junior varsity teams forfeiting the first game of the 2019 season.

The high school's football program was put on probation after an alleged junior varsity locker-room attack took place. Four 15-year-old boys are accused of raping several of their teammates with a broom handle in a hazing ritual called "brooming" on Oct. 31, 2018. Both the State's Attorney's Office and the county school system have launched investigations into allegations of assault, bullying, and hazing at the high school.

The school's internal investigation found that the students were unsupervised during the time of the assault.

At a press conference in May, Montgomery's superintendent said there was no direct supervision of the boys' locker room, which overtly contradicts the extracurricular supervision protocols enforced by the school system.

"Coaches must supervise student athletes at all times, before and after practices and contests at both home and away sites," Smith said.

The coaches, who were responsible for supervising the junior varsity football players, were running late and — according to Smith — those "delays were not adequately communicated to other coaches or staff on site."

"Between approximately 2:50 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., the boys' locker room at Damascus High School was without any direct adult supervision. This period is after the varsity football team leaves the locker room to start their practice and before the (junior varsity) football team reports to the practice field," Smith said.

It was during that 25-minute period that he said the alleged attacks happened.

At the press conference, Smith explained that he couldn't reveal any specific personnel actions because of legal reasons. He, however, did reveal that administrators have taken "appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the Employee Code of Conduct."

One of the biggest staff shakeups involved Damascus High School Principal Casey Crouse, who resigned on May 7. Though Crouse has transitioned to another position in the school system, she will receive the same salary, which is $160,763, as when she was principal, Bethesda Beat reported.

A couple of staff members in the athletic program also weren't spared.

Vincent Colbert, the junior varsity football coach, has been let go, according to Smith. So has Damascus High School athletic director Joe Doody, who was previously placed on administrative leave.

Several weeks later, the school announced it had hired Clifford Elgin, formerly the assistant athletic director at Clarksburg High School. Elgin is Doody's replacement.

Following the internal investigation, the school system also decided that Damascus' football program would be under probationary oversight by the MCPS Systemwide Athletics Unit for the next academic year.

"This means that central services staff, working collaboratively with the school's leadership team, will closely monitor the football program at Damascus High School to ensure it is in full compliance with all MCPS and State of Maryland rules, regulations and protocols," Smith said.

However, it seems that Damascus isn't meeting the school system half way.

"A meeting for all returning football players will be held during lunch on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, in Room 120, to answer any questions," Sullivan wrote in his letter to the Damascus community.

SEE ALSO:

• Embattled Damascus High School Replaces Athletic Director
• Damascus Locker Room Unsupervised During Assault: Superintendent
• Embattled Principal Resigns Amid Hazing Sex Assault Scandal
• Locker Room Rape, Abusive Behavior To Be Investigated By Firm
• Broomstick Rape Case: Damascus Teen To Be Tried As Juvenile
• Broomstick Rape Case: 2nd Damascus Teen To Be Tried As Juvenile
• Locker Room Rape Case: Third Teen To Be Tried As Juvenile
• Locker Room Rape Case: ADHD Defense Called 'Offensive'