D-207 Cuts Deal with Maine West Coach Fired in Hazing Case

A former Maine West High School soccer coach fired over hazing allegations has dropped his appeal of the termination and agreed to cooperate with Maine Township High School District 207 in its defense of a lawsuit.

Michael Divincenzo said his decision to drop the challenge to his firing should not be construed as an admission of guilt. “I know that I have done nothing wrong and intend to vigorously contest the allegations in the pending civil case,” Divincenzo stated. “This has been a difficult decision that was made in the best interests of my family.” 

Current and former students sued District 207 and school officials alleging that bullying and hazing was allowed to go on for years. One of the four Maine West students suing school officials described his experiences, and said he believed Divincenzo knew about the assaults because he saw him wink at players, WGN reported.

and appealed the termination. District 207 stated the agreement with Divincenzo was reached to avoid a potentially lengthy and costly dismissal process.

“The considerations exchanged in this agreement do not constitute, and shall not be interpreted as, an admission of fault, wrongdoing, liability or deficiency of any kind on the part of either the board or Mr. Divincenzo,” D-207 stated.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege that abuse had gone on with the knowledge of some district employees since 2007. D-207 officials have maintained that the first reports it received of bullying and hazing incidents at Maine West were in fall 2012.

Antonio Romanucci, an attorney for the students and their families, said a letter sent from one of the parents to the principal at Maine West in 2008 was evidence District 207 should have been aware of the problem prior to 2012. The Department of Children and Family Services recently confirmed in its investigation they found some substantiated evidence of abuse or neglect at Maine West involving two employees.

Other stipulations in the agreement between Divincenzo and D-207 included:

• D-207 will continue paying for Divincenzo’s health insurance through January 2014, according to the agreement, at an approximate cost of $600 per month, according to D-207’s statement.
• D-207 can continue cooperating with current investigations into reports of bullying and hazing involving Divincenzo, but may not initiate any new investigations into his conduct.
• Divincenzo will cooperate D-207 in the defense of the bullying and hazing lawsuit filed by current and former students and the district will pay for his legal representation in that case.

Divincenzo also retains his right to collect unemployment compensation, according to the agreement.

, in January. Rodriguez requested an appeal hearing since that time, stated David Beery, a spokesperson for D-207, in an email to Patch.

“The irony is that the district dismissed the two coaches based upon evidence of sexual misconduct… and the district has the continued temerity to deny wrong doing or improper conduct,” Romanucci stated. “Clearly, the district cut a deal with Coach Divo to save itself while it and it’s principal stood by letting young boys become victims of sexual assault and doing nothing about it. This whole deal stinks.”

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