Lawyer: Hazing Report Missing Key Information

The lawyer representing four current and former Maine West High School students and their families in a bullying and hazing lawsuit stated there were significant omissions in a report on hazing incidents in the school district.

Maine Township High School District 207 hired an attorney to complete an independent investigation into hazing incidents and policies within the district, and report back to the board of education. That process concluded and D-207 released a copy of a report on the investigation and a statement about it this week. The report stated D-207 and Maine West staff responded properly and appropriately to reports of hazing in September 2012.

Antonio Romanucci, the attorney representing the four students in the bullying and hazing lawsuit filed in November 2012, released a statement regarding the report on the hazing investigation from D-207, which stated, in part:

“However, the findings and conclusions of this report fail to shed light on the true issue in this case which is why employees at Maine West High School failed to take any action to prevent the vile hazing rituals and abuse to underclassmen at Maine West High School for at least five years.

What is blatantly missing from the report is any mention of Principal, Audrey Haugan, Michael Divencenzo or Emilio Rodriguez not reporting the on-going abuse. What is also omitted from this report is any explanation of the fact that Haugan, Divencenzo and Rodriguez failed to contact or make any reports of hazing to DCFS as required by state law.”

David Beery, spokesperson for D-207, said the district did not have any response to Romanucci’s statement.

Click on the PDF posted with this story to see Romanucci's complete statement.