DANVERS, MASS. (WHDH) - The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has conducted an investigation into allegations of racism, hazing, and sexual assault within the high school’s hockey team.
The North Shore branch of the NAACP made sure their voices were heard when they began presenting the findings of their investigation to the Danvers Human Rights and Inclusion Committee Thursday night.
“It makes me sick; it makes me mad; it makes me angry; it makes me sad,” said Dr. Dutrochet Djoko who serves as chair of the committee.
7NEWS first reported on the allegations late last year after a varsity hockey player told school officials he was the victim of hazing, sexual assault, and racism.
“As you will have seen, truly shocking behavior has persisted and some adults responsible for guiding and protecting the children of our community have at best failed to act,” said Natalie Bowers, President of the North Shore branch of the NAACP.
The NAACP said the school department and Danvers police conducted two formal investigations into the matter in 2020 but they did not find any wrongdoing. It was in early 2021 that the NAACP says that the victim came forward.
“Please, imagine finding out that your child was abused at school, was taunted with direct pictures of racist violence,” Bowers said fighting back tears. “And then discover the very authority charged with supporting them was denying the abuse and failing to act.”
The school department previously told 7NEWS police were not able to seek charges because the alleged victim didn’t want to press them.
The NAACP suggested the police department make changes to its process for vetting and hiring officers, fire a sergeant who was the high school hockey coach during the time of these alleged incidents, and implement further training on the force in terms of bias and sensitivity.
“We have heard from many voices in the community, including residents and people who have been personally traumatized by the unaddressed and thriving racial trauma here,” said Lisa Silva, a Danvers resident working with the NAACP. “These recommendations are guided by the knowledge of our oldest civil rights organization.”
The NAACP told the committee that this kind of behavior has persisted, that parents in town were not notified, and that they feel some adults failed to act. The committee said it is time to finally resolve this issue.
“We have to do better,” Djoko said. “Danvers, if you’re listening, we can do better.”
The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office confirmed that they are investigating how Danvers officials handled the allegations.
7NEWS reached out to the school district and the police department for comment on the NAACP’s report but has not heard back.
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