Tamaqua School Board to Consider Fate of 2 More Students in Hazing Investigation

Board members at Tamaqua Area School District will vote tonight to decide the fate of 2 more students allegedly connected to what’s being called a “hazing” incident there earlier this month.

The school board has called a special meeting for 7:30 p.m. Monday. Board President Larry Wittig told The Canary last week, following a pair of hearings, that he and his fellow directors will have to decide if any further discipline against the students is necessary

In a meeting last week, directors voted to expel one student – a high school junior – for their role in the hazing incident.

“Several” students have already been suspended for their roles in this incident.

2 Students to Face Discipline for Suspected Roles in Hazing Incident

Wittig did not indicate if any more students or school staff members are likely to face the board’s Hearings Committee. He and other district officials have promised a thorough investigation into the Nov. 4 incident that happened at what the school calls its “football house” property.

The football house is a building separate from the Tamaqua school campus, located across the street from the high school. It was a vacant home purchased by the school approximately 20 years ago and it was renovated to serve as a quasi-field house for the school’s football team.

Tamaqua uses the property to store football equipment that doesn’t fit into traditional lockers at the school, like helmets and shoulder pads.

On Nov. 4, according to what the school has revealed, several players retired to the football house following a traditional pre-game team dinner. It’s believed the students were there to gather personal belongings they left there prior to the dinner at the school cafeteria.

That’s when the incident that’s only been described as a “hazing” happened.

School officials have pushed back against assertions and rumors online speculating on what actually happened on that night. Last week, the father of the victim in this hazing incident urged the public to remain calm and patient as the school conducts its investigation.

Tamaqua Police are believed to be conducting a separate criminal investigation of the incident but have not released any information related to their work so far.