Children on James Madison football team require counseling or discipline, not legal consequences

There is a ritual at Brooklyn’s James Madison High School where new JV football players are surrounded by older players, de-panted, and lightly hit.

According to a parent who shared a video of the incident, this tradition has been going on for years with the “victim” laughing the whole time.

This year, when one student reported the incident to his parents, it caused a controversy. Some players are now facing criminal charges and have been suspended from school. The coach has been fired. The football season might be canceled. 

This response seems like an overreaction and a terrible lesson for all involved. 

Although times have changed and hazing, even in a lighthearted way, is no longer acceptable, banning hazing would have been a better solution.

Suspending the students and canceling games for actions that generations have engaged in before seems disproportionate. Have we lost perspective?

Calling the cops over this seems ridiculous.

This situation could have been a valuable teachable moment for the students involved and the broader school community. 

Suspending the students involved and having them write essays reflecting on their actions could have been more constructive. 

The coach could have had a conversation with them about the importance of respecting teammates and how even if it’s all in good fun, certain actions are not acceptable.  

Perhaps a community service component could have been added. 

Rushing to criminalize them seems extreme. 

Especially since this incident sounds like typical roughhousing among adolescent boys, not a serious violent crime. 

While Madison High School has had issues in the past, responding with a harsh crackdown on the entire team for minor infractions seems ill-advised. 

Kids will be kids, but they also need to learn responsibility. Punishing them severely over trivial matters won’t help them mature.