Students suspended after ‘hazing incidents’ at North Carolina boarding school – WLOS
Now 38 Tue 54 Wed 60by Kelly DotyTOPICS:BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — An investigation is underway after reported hazing incidents at Mount Pisgah Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist boarding school in Candler.News 13 was first made aware of the incident through an email addressed to Mount Pisgah Academy Principal Dewald Coetzer from a concerned citizen. News 13 was copied on the original email and Coetzer’s response.BUDGET CUTS FORCE ASHEVILLE, BUNCOMBE SCHOOLS TO TIGHTEN FINANCIAL BELTSIn the reply, Coetzer confirmed the school became aware of the misconduct on Thursday, Jan. 23, and started an internal investigation. The investigation found that a group of students had engaged in “inappropriate hazing incidents,” Coetzer wrote.Gary Moyer, vice president for administration and executive secretary for the Carolina Conference of SDA, said the incidents involved students “pulling down their friends’ pants and squirting water bottles at their rear end areas.”Moyer said the students claimed it was a joke, saying, “We only did it to kids who would think it was funny.” He said that affected students performed the same actions against others.Coetzer said the school informed Child Protective Services (CPS) and is cooperating fully with the agency.NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS RANK NEAR BOTTOM NATIONALLY IN FUNDING LEVELS, STUDY FINDSMoyer added that Coetzer reported the incident to CPS twice: Once for the initial report and a second time with new information. According to Moyer, CPS said it typically don’t get involved in student-on-student incidents but were reviewing the case.Twenty-two students were interviewed separately during the investigation, according to Moyer. In the end, eight students were found to be directly involved, including four students who were residential advisors (RAs) and didn’t intervene. Four students were involved in multiple incidents, Moyer said.Coetzer told News 13 that those who were involved were asked to withdraw from the school or were suspended. In his reply email to the concerned citizen, Coetzer addressed claims that the incidents had been ongoing without intervention.”The claim that these events have been ongoing without intervention is deeply troubling, and we are committed to addressing any gaps in oversight or policy to prevent recurrence,” Coetzer said. “We will continue to work with law enforcement and child welfare authorities to ensure justice is served and that the affected students and their families receive the support they need.”‘IT CAN BE A DISTRACTION’: STATE EDUCATORS CONSIDERING RESTRICTIONS ON CELL PHONE USECoetzer asked anyone with information about the incidents to share it with the school or directly with the appropriate authorities. Moyer added that an anonymous reporting system has been implemented at the school to encourage students to come forward with more information or concerns.This story is developing and will be updated as details become available.
