This assaultive hazing cannot stand

Re Scandal at St. Michael’s College School prompts calls for greater oversight of private schools, online, Nov. 23 I have two sons that recently graduated from St. Michael’s College School. Both participated on the football team and never did they witness or hear about unchecked bullying.

Friends and family have graduated from St. Mike’s and still harbour a deep love for the school.

Reading the defamatory articles that are being tossed around in the news is saddening. St. Mike’s was a magnificent school for my sons, strict and fair.

What happened recently at St. Mike’s were terrible acts, committed by immature teenage boys. Instead of witch-hunting one particular school, let us address the real culprit: hazing rituals that seem to permeate boy culture and sports teams everywhere.

In the times of #MeToo, assaultive hazing can no longer be a silently accepted part of team culture, not just at St. Mike’s, but everywhere. Catharina Goldnau, Toronto This is clearly a cultural problem with an extensive history that likely goes beyond the student body. It appears that this violent harassment has been, at the very least, ignored if not covered up by the institution as a whole.

This is not hazing, it is assault, and these crimes are far too common for them all to be inconveniently missed by administration.

I believe that the teaching, coaching and administrative staff should also be subject to investigation for sweeping these incidents under the rug, thereby encouraging this toxic “boys will be boys,” laissez faire mentality. Aaron Nugent, Mississauga