MCPS Findings Released After Damascus Locker Room Rape Case

GERMANTOWN, MD — Bullying, hazing, and sexual assault do not appear to be widespread among Montgomery County high school students participating in athletic and extracurricular programs, according to a report by the law firm that analyzed student supervision after a 2018 locker room sexual assault case at Damascus High School.

While bullying, hazing, and sexual assault seemingly aren't prevalent among high school students, the report found that they could not clearly define what hazing entailed or how to report it — if at all.

These findings are part of a long-awaited review of Montgomery County Public Schools' reporting practices and supervision procedures following a locker room attack involving Damascus High School football players.

On Oct. 31, 2018, four 15-year-old boys allegedly raped several of their teammates with a broom handle in a hazing ritual called "brooming." The teens, who were initially charged as adults with rape and attempted rape, have had their cases transferred back to the juvenile court system.

After news broke of the assaults, the school system hired the WilmerHale law firm to investigate how extracurricular activities are supervised on school grounds. WilmerHale's investigation was separate from the two investigations conducted by the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office and the school district.

The MCPS investigation found that Damascus High School officials waited more than 12 hours to tell authorities about the alleged locker room rape. It also found that the students were unsupervised during the time of the assault, which overtly contradicts the extracurricular supervision protocols enforced by the school system.

The hope of this external review, according to MCPS, is to help school administrators find ways "to improve the school culture as well as existing policies, procedures"..."in order to prevent future incidents like that at (Damascus High School)..."

In the report, WilmerHale said it focused more on the school system as a whole, rather than on Damascus High School and the events that took place on Oct. 31, 2018.

Five high schools were examined in this report, which WilmerHale said probably does not capture the extent of bullying, hazing, and sexual assault that may occur — or may have occurred — in the school system.

In the report, WilmerHale acknowledged that it did not "perform a comprehensive, historical review of unreported incidents" or conduct a district-wide survey "of the prevalence of hazing, bullying, or sexual assault connected to after-school activities."

Despite a limited and targeted scope, the law firm was able to compile a list of recommendations. They include:

• Creating in-person interactive hazing training and programming for student athletes
  and extracurricular participants
• Creating in-person interactive trainings and programming for athletic directors and
  administrators to train coaches and sponsors on preventing and responding to hazing, bullying, and sexual assault
• Emphasizing "tone at the top," as well as the importance of engaging students on
  bullying, hazing, and sexual assault, in trainings for administrators, athletic directors, coaches, and sponsors

Click here to read the MCPS report.