Principals: Bracket ranking female students posted on Instagram
Fairfield Warde and Ludlowe high school officials are investigating March Madness-style tournament
FAIRFIELD — School officials said they are investigating a March Madness-style tournament bracket that ranked female high school students.
The bracket was posted on Instagram and appears to include only freshmen from Fairfield Warde and Ludlowe high schools and encouraged others to vote for one name in each pairing, officials said.
“We take this situation very seriously and commit to a thorough investigation,” Superintendent Mike Cummings said in a statement on Wednesday. “All students involved will be held accountable. Consequences will be appropriate relative to actions, and as part of our restorative practice, students will make amends.”
Some students believed to be the originators have been identified, though the identity of the person who created the actual voting mechanism is still under investigation, according to a joint statement the high school principals sent to
families on Tuesday.
Cummings asked people to refrain from spreading misinformation. He said speculation about the incident was leading to multiple incidents of harassment and bullying and hampering an investigation into the issue.
“The persons originally involved in creating the list of girls’ names are not responsible for posting polls, voting systems or the multiple fake accounts that continue to proliferate,” Cummings said. “However, these individuals and their families are being personally targeted, bullied and threatened based on false and misleading accusations. We condemn all forms of harassment and ask that no one escalate the situation further.”
In a letter sent Tuesday to the school community, principals Greg Hatzis of Fairfield Ludlowe and Paul Cavana of Fairfield Warde high schools said the bracket was disrespectful to all women.
“We strongly condemn this behavior, which is damaging and disparaging to all young women in the freshmen classes of both schools, but also to all Fairfield students and indeed, all women,” the principals wrote. “It is discouraging that not only did someone create this post, but other students ‘liked’ it, and this will be addressed.”
Andrea Clark, the district’s spokeswoman, said action will begin with virtual school assemblies.
The letter encouraged families to speak to their children about the situation and to warn them about the potential longterm ramifications of social media posts.
“Our high schools are deeply committed to promoting respect for all students,” Hatzis and Cavana wrote. “Any act that negatively targets a group based on gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual-orientation, learning difference or any other distinguishing characteristic will not be tolerated.”
The schools are unable to have the account removed or disabled — which can only be done by the account holder — but Hatzis and Cavana said they will work with the families of those responsible to remove the posts.
The principals said from both schools launched an investigation when they learned of the post.
Both the principals and Cummings praised students and community members for their role as “allies” in bringing the bracket to light.
On Wednesday, Fairfield PTA Council President Steve Baker and Reini Knorr of the Fairfield Warde High School PTA issued a statement about the brackets as well.
“The Fairfield Warde High School PTA and the Fairfield PTA Council commend the young people who spoke up and had their voices heard upon seeing the demeaning post,” it said. “We agree with the school district’s response to the incident and feel it is appropriate to turn it into a teachable moment for all involved.”
Anyone with information is asked to submit a TIPS report. People can remain anonymous, though Hatzis and Cavana said it’s helpful if they provide their contact information so officials can follow up with them. staff
Cummings’ letter also included a quote from an unnamed freshman girl who was personally affected by the incident.
“I think the adults here are a big part of the issue,” the girl reportedly said. “Obviously (the student who originated the bracket) messed up. But that does not give anyone the right to send him threats or shame his family. I think by assuming things and getting angry it is overshadowing the bigger issue, which was the fact that these girls were being objectified.”
At least one parent said she had heard that parents were harassing the students allegedly involved in the bracket, and was appalled.
“It seemed like (the bracket was) a joke that went too far,” said parent Amy Ruggiero, whose daughter is a sophomore at Fairfield Ludlowe High School. “But I certainly don’t think what’s been done warrants the reaction it’s received.”
She pointed out that the people who made the list are still children, and cautioned against the “mob mentality” she’s seen on social media in the incident’s wake.
Others still expressed worry at the way the bracket post seemed to reduce girls to their appearances, including the student-led group Warde Voices for Equity.
On Tuesday, the group posted about the incident on Instagram, declaring that “the actions that have occurred today were disgusting. Behavior like this should not be tolerated nor supported.”
The post went on to encourage people to wear pink on Thursday in support of women and girls.
“Women are NOT objects,” the post read. “Women are beautiful, strong and so much more. There are so many things about each other that make them unique, yet empowered. We do not need to compare girls to other girls.”
Others shared that sentiment, including Lauren Bove, whose son is a senior at Fairfield Ludlowe High School. Bove said she hadn’t seen the bracket but heard about it, and found it sad and disappointing.
“I find so many things are happening right now to people that strips away their individuality and reduces them (to something less),” she said. “In the sake of the girls (in the bracket), this reduces them to their body parts and appearances.”
The principals also reminded families “not all the facts have come to light” and asked them to allow school staff to complete the investigation.
“The students involved will be held accountable for their inappropriate actions,” the principals wrote. “We share the disgust expressed by students, parents and staff from both schools about this act.”
The principals said they are committed to a thorough investigation, as well as providing support to any student who “feels victimized or hurt by these actions.”
“As a community, we can bind together to not only address the negative behavior, but also teach the important lessons that come from the unfortunate choices of a few,” Hatzis and Cavana wrote. “The strong reaction to this event underscores the values that we collectively hold as a Fairfield community.”