The shoes are starting to drop in the alleged Pottsville “hazing” incident.
The following officials are on administrative leave, according to a source close to the situation:
- Athletic Director Eric Rismiller
- Football coach Rusty Yost
Coal Region Canary has not been able to verify these actions.
These moves suggest there are more than just allegations to this story. It may also indicate a systematic cover-up of the alleged incident.
Pottsville “Hazing” Incident
On Friday, news broke of an alleged act of sexual harassment on the grounds of Pottsville Area School District last year, some time during football season (August-November).
In it, at least two members of the football team at the time allegedly bullied and sexually harassed an autistic person close to the team.
The acts described are heinous. It allegedly involves the students exposing themselves to the challenged individual as well as more deviant acts.
However, news of this incident only broke on Friday, Feb. 22.
Either this is the best kept secret in small town America or there’s more to the story.
In that time, the football players alleged to have participated in the act were allowed to keep playing. Allegedly, no one said a word.
Additionally, they were also permitted to join the basketball team, which is currently starting its state playoff run. A game is scheduled for Monday evening at Blue Mountain High School vs. Bangor Area.
According to a a source close to the situation, at least one of the players was suspended for 10 days just prior to the start of the Schuylkill League basketball playoffs. That suspension, based on our calculations, would end just before the start of the District XI playoffs.
The school has not publicly addressed the reports out Friday other than what was quoted to the media. It says it is investigating the incident.
Instead, they’re promoting ticket sales to the game on Monday. Here’s the school’s latest Facebook post:
UPDATE: Based on new information, we’ve updated the staff members of Pottsville Area School District who are on administrative leave. Of course, it would be helpful (and their obligation) to the public if the school would publicly release this information through appropriate channels. It doesn’t seem to have a problem selling tickets.
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Wendy Nester
February 22, 2019 at 9:03 pm
Hmm I just seen where nativity has an anti hazing, but I do recall a coach loosing his job for what he did to a female sport team. I realize it wasn’t hazing it just as sick!!!!! Leave our children alone you disgusting preditors. Home school parents, home school, sax times otberwise
Amy nuwall
February 23, 2019 at 2:14 am
Coach mcgoey is not on administrative leave as he had no knowledge of the situation. Rismiller and Yost both are tho
Jack
February 23, 2019 at 9:55 pm
And they shouldn’t be
Jess
February 24, 2019 at 4:31 pm
They actually should be. There is a systemic problem here where athletes wrongdoings are minimized or covered up. I would know as I have had 2 boy athletes in this school. There are adults who know better but don’t do better at this school. It’s a sad situation and they try to cover for each other as well as themselves.
Carol lucas
February 24, 2019 at 11:38 am
All three are and they all knew
Sports parent
February 24, 2019 at 4:43 pm
Mcgoey was done as a football coach Friday according to students at the school. How did he know nothing? Head in the sand much? What they want people to believe is quite farfetched.
Jack
February 24, 2019 at 6:07 pm
However maybe if you knew all of the facts you wouldn’t be out here making wild assumptions
Parent
March 14, 2019 at 2:04 pm
The same shit happened in 2014 in Florida when pottsville was invited to play at the sports complex however when it happened Mcgoeys response was “let the mother’s boosters deal with it I dont want anything to do with it” what happened was a football player put soap in a sock and beat another player with the soap filled sock. Again he knew about it and did nothing. Such an asshole teaching kids it’s ok to act exactly like that. This NEVER would have happened under Keatings leadership. NEVER!! HE HAD RESPECT, TAUGHT RESPECT AND DEMANDED IT!!
admin
March 14, 2019 at 2:40 pm
That’s some crazy shit right there. For the record, this is all unconfirmed, right? That’s why we like to use the word “allegedly”.
Parent
March 15, 2019 at 10:16 am
You use “allegedly” when you have no facts however being there in 2014 witnessing a parent bring it to mcgoey and hearing his response wouldn’t be an alleged event. He was more interested in sitting in front of his hotel room having a beer with a few assistant coaches than solving a problem that obviously has gotten out of hand in his camp over the years and leads to this.
AnotherParent
March 15, 2019 at 9:31 pm
You are absolutely correct. We were there as well but it was 2013. All of what you said is absolutely true.
CandyForDinner
February 24, 2019 at 2:49 pm
Mr. Yost is also the dean of students, so that’s a double fail. Neither the school nor the athletic dept. has made any kind of statement as of yet. Maybe because there’s a big game tomorrow? Anyone can see that this is a clear example of Pottsville’s mentality. Sports before everything! Kinda ironic, since they’re not particularly good at any of them.
TB
February 25, 2019 at 1:48 pm
You have the most bullshit statements in these articles. So bias towards Pottsville. I know what the kids did was wrong but you have so wild statements that are completely wrong. You should probably shut this page down with all the fake news.
Jack
February 25, 2019 at 4:47 pm
TB, I couldn’t agree more!!
CandyForDinner
February 25, 2019 at 6:39 pm
TB you should probably go back to school and learn how to write coherent sentences. What in this article is false? The staff members listed are, in face, on leave. Two students were, in fact, placed on suspension. The accused students, both members of the football team, are, in fact, also members of the basketball team and have actively played this season. It’s not fake news just because you don’t agree with it, you know. Please point out the falsehoods in this article.
PottsvilleDad
February 25, 2019 at 5:24 pm
As a parent of high schools students ar Pottsville and knowing one of the students from grade school it’s sad that the parents are actually suing the school district so their son has his disciplinary actions off his record to apply to colleges and to receive sports scholarships, but I guess with the students father being a pharmacist the family feels entitled! These students danced around a locker room naked, slapping their penis’s off a disabled man! They rubbed lollipops on their anus and gave them to this again disabled man! That is absolutely hideous!! If anyone would condone this type of behavior being done to any individual, you really need to get checked. Students were afraid to speak up because everyone knows snitches get stitches and the fact is who do you report the incident too when one child is one of the person of the persons of interest on administrative leave child?! Then K.S. denies the incident and has the nerve to sue the school district!! And his parents think that its against “his” rights!! Maybe they should get their heads out of the sand and see how K.S. really was at school; ignorant to his own peers, bullying people he considered below his standards and he still feels compelled to lie so his family name isn’t ruined because then everyone knows mommy can’t run around bragging how perfect and great her child is! Pottsville Area needs to vote on a new school board members!! The board president will make sure Mr. Yost takes the complete fall and her dear brother will return to the district with his salary intact beings his wife works at the high school. People who apply for jobs at the district get an interview but at the end of the day it’s the boards decision on whom is hired and it’s someone related or someone referred, regardless of the best qualified candidate! The entire school needs to be investigated as well as the students who deliberately harmed this boy! But then again K.S. is claiming dancing with a towel on or off isn’t bullying or corrupt and that regardless of the situation it’s not considered a school matter because the disabled person isn’t a student. I wonder how K.S. parents would feel if he had these profound things done to their son and then the opposing party quotes it’s a violation of his right! Justice will prevail!
Hey now
February 26, 2019 at 8:07 pm
Amen Postville dad! You know your stuff. No model citizen here…and the nerve to say dancing naked is my constitutional right, as if that was all it was!
Pottsvillealumi
March 1, 2019 at 5:57 pm
Pottsville dad, you are so correct. Pottsville is all about who knows who. If you don’t have the name or money, you are definitely overlooked.
Bullying is bullying those parents that think their kids are untouchable because they have money or related to a school board members, wrong. I think they should get rid of those involved. Administration leave isn’t enough, just fire them already.
Parent
March 15, 2019 at 9:31 am
The same shit happened in 2014 in Florida when pottsville was invited to play at the sports complex however when it happened Mcgoeys response was “let the mother’s boosters deal with it I dont want anything to do with it” what happened was a football player put soap in a sock and beat another player with the soap filled sock. Again he knew about it and did nothing. Such an asshole teaching kids it’s ok to act exactly like that. This NEVER would have happened under Keatings leadership. NEVER!! HE HAD RESPECT, TAUGHT RESPECT AND DEMANDED IT!!
Mark
April 10, 2019 at 3:29 pm
McGoey has been rehired as football coach because no one else applied for the job. Looks like the Pottsville football program is not as great as everyone thinks based upon the lack of applicants.