A former Maine West High School soccer coach, Michael Divincenzo, faces multiple misdemeanor charges related to reports of hazing at the Des Plaines high school, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Michael Divincenzo, the former varsity boys soccer coach named in a bullying and hazing lawsuit filed by current and former students and their families, was charged on May 15 with multiple misdemeanor charges related to the reports of hazing incidents, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The criminal charges are separate from the civil lawsuit, which was filed by four current and former students. Antonio Romanucci, an attorney representing the students and their families, released the following statement in response to the criminal charges filed against Divincenzo: "The fact that Coach Divincenzo has been criminally charged brings no joy to the families whose children were brutally sexually abused while educators stood idly by allowing it to…
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The attorney representing Maine West High School students in a hazing lawsuit stated a report from Maine Township High School District 207 does not address key issues.
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 …
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The law firm representing four former and current students in a hazing lawsuit against D-207 administrators and faculty claims a letter sent to Dr. Audrey Haugan from the parent of a student at the Des Plaines high school in 2008 is evidence Maine Townshi
A lawyer representing current and former students in the Maine West High School hazing case alleged that the school's principal knew about the abuse in 2008. Antonio Romanucci, of Romanucci & Blandin, said a letter sent to Maine West Principal Audrey Haugan in 2008 showed she knew about the abuse, and did not report it to District 207, as required by law. Ken Wallace, superintendent at D-207, said in November that the first reports the district received of bullying and hazing at the Des Plaines high school were in September 2012. Romanucci addressed the press outside the District 207 boardroom, where members were meeting in closed session about a variety of hazing-related issues. Romanucci said that the school board has acknowledged the …
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2:12 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
I have to believe that some of the board members were also aware. Some, though retired from the school, are very involved in the day to day happenings at the school. After firing the coaches and whatever the outcome with Dr. Haugan, are they going to step down? more ›
Employee discipline and other issues related to the investigation of bullying and hazing reports at Maine West High School in Des Plaines will be discussed by Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education in Park Ridge on Thursday.
A special school district meeting to discuss a variety of issues related to bullying and hazing reports at Maine West High School in Des Plaines will be held in Park Ridge on Thursday. Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education voted in favor of initiating the dismissal process on one coach, Michael DiVincenzo, named in a lawsuit filed by four families of current or former students in November at a meeting in December, and other administrators, coaches and district employees are named in the complaint. Listed on the agenda for the closed session portion of the special board meeting, announced by D-207 on Tuesday, are matters related to individual students, appointment, employment, compensation, performance, discipline or …
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1:04 pm on Friday, January 25, 2013
The students who got hazed are just as guilty for allowing themselves to be in that position ... more ›
Hundreds attended a special Maine Township High School District 207 meeting in Park Ridge on Wednesday to discuss personnel issues related to the bullying and hazing allegations at Maine West High School.
Impassioned statements made by current and former Maine West High School students, and one parent, in support of coaches scrutinized by the school district over bullying and hazing allegations were not enough to convince board members to continue employing the varsity soccer coach and high school teacher Michael DiVincenzo. Tait Jensen said he played on the varsity soccer team at Maine West for three years, and was co-captain of the team for one year. “The culture Divo and Rodriguez created and sanctioned was exactly what you want your schools’ athletic programs to have,” Jensen said. “It wasn’t a culture of hazing or mistreatment or assault; it was an atmosphere of friendship and understanding that fostered trust amongst players and …
6:41 am on Saturday, January 26, 2013
Good decision by the school board to let this guy go. Given the accusations, he can't coach effectively, which is what've was hired to do. The school district has better things to spend its money on, like education. There is enough evidence that he did something wrong to terminate him. more ›
Current and former Maine West High School students spoke in support of two teachers on paid leave, pending the results of D-207’s investigation into bullying and hazing allegations.
Hundreds of community members filled the Maine Township High School District 207 boardroom in Park Ridge Wednesday as the school board met to discuss personnel matters related to the bullying and hazing investigation at Maine West High School in Des Plaines. Approximately a dozen current and former Maine West students, and one parent, addressed board members in support of Michael Divincenzo and Emilio Rodriguez, both teachers and coaches at the Des Plaines high school. A 2012 Maine West alum who spoke to the board on Wednesday night, Tait Jensen, said he played soccer under the supervision of Coaches Divincenzo and Rodriguez for three years. Jensen said the environment the two coaches promoted was one of respect, and they would not condone…
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11:19 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
It is a shame that there is such blind faith. Did these kids and parents read the text messages about kids complaining of being depants? Is this normal behavior for kids to do this? The principal, and both coaches responded to these texts yet nothing really happened. The bottom line is that those in these positions of authority have to do more to protect our children, then just ask the kid if he … more ›
A special meeting for the Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Dec. 19.
A special meeting of the Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education to discuss personnel matters related to the investigation into bullying and hazing allegations was scheduled for Wednesday. The meeting will include an opportunity for public comment, said David Beery, spokesperson for D-207. The board will go into closed executive session, Beery said, return to open session and take a vote, if needed, on any personnel matter. Five D-207 employees were reassigned following the allegations of bullying and hazing. Michael Divincenzo and Emilio Rodriguez have teaching contracts with D-207 and are coaches at Maine West High School in Des Plaines. Divincenzo and Rodriguez were reassigned with pay, pending the result of D-207’s …
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The mother of a Maine West High School student filed a complaint with the Circuit Court of Cook County alleging hazing at Maine Township High School District 207.
The parents of a Maine West High School student filed a lawsuit on Nov. 19 that accuses the school district, faculty and staff of allowing their son to be physically and sexually assaulted as part of a known hazing ritual for the boys' varsity soccer team. The hazing ritual was ordered and witnessed by several coaches, according to the complaint, when, on Sept. 27, Michael Divencenzo, varsity soccer coach, Emilio Rodriguez, freshmen soccer coach, and other coaches ordered a “campus run” after the freshman soccer player was promoted to the varsity squad. During the “campus run” the boy’s teammates grabbed him, according to the complaint, tore off his underwear, held him down so he could not resist, grabbed his testicles and sodomized him …
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5:04 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
...look into Superintendent Ken Wallace and is past...demoted from Principal at his old school in Indiana..history of intimidating run-in's with female employees at the various schools he has worked at (including current). There's more to this story and it's growing...look at Maine South as well. The Principal he hired there has zero respect from his staff...teachers and administrators... more ›
Several students face disciplinary action and will not be allowed to play, pending the outcome of the investigation, according to a statement by Maine Township High School District 207.
Reports of inappropriate conduct by several players on Maine West High School’s boys’ soccer team are being investigated by the high school, school district, Des Plaines Police Department and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, according to a statement released by Maine Township High School District 207. The Maine West soccer players who face disciplinary action will not be allowed to play, pending the outcome of the investigation, according to the school district’s statement. Michael Divincenzo, varsity soccer coach, Emilio Rodriguez, freshman soccer coach and three other coaches that are not teachers in the district, were temporarily reassigned with pay to duties outside the classroom, pending the investigation …
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1:33 pm on Saturday, November 24, 2012
According to Illinois Law and its definition of Criminal Sexual Assault - To sustain the charge of criminal sexual assault, the State must prove the following propositions: [1] First Proposition: That the defendant committed an act of sexual penetration upon ____________________; and Second Proposition: That the act was committed by the use of force or threat of force[; and Third Proposition: … more ›
Sam
1:21 pm on Thursday, May 16, 2013
In the May 16th Suntimes, the charges were dropped against the students who were involved because their peers (victims) didn't want to press charges. So are these kids saying it wasn't as bad as they claimed? If that's the case what is the coach being charged for? Did the coach force his team to hold down other students on the team and sodomize them? They interviewed 100 people regarding the … more ›