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Leave it to West Central to put winning over the safety of students: Lou Raguse reports that convicted sexual offender Jeremy Hunt is suiting up with the West Central HS Trojans to play football. Hunt didn't go to school during his senior year, so he's a year older than all the seniors on the field. Having abused teammates at Parker, one would think he would be banned from high school sports or situations that could bring him into contact with other potential victims, but evidently that is not the case. The South Dakota High School Activities Association heard and granted a request from Hunt that he be allowed to play HS sports this year. Ugh.
West Central Superintendent Paul Gausman does point out in the KELO article that the school by law can only turn down an open-enrollee if the district or school building is full or if the student has "special needs that the district doesn't have a program or services for," and neither of those criteria is the case in Hunt's situation. And Hunt is carrying out a judge's order to finish high school. However, KELO does note that one school board member had the guts to vote no on Hunt's application. [See Lou Raguse, "Jerome Hunt's Second Chance," KELOLand.com, 2007.08.27.].
Anyone in the neighborhood will tell you how important football is to Hartford and the surrounding area. But if the game is important, shouldn't we keep felons out of it? Michael Vick is getting kicked out of the NFL, and he just abused dogs. Jerome Hunt abused boys, someone's sons.
Hunt deserves a chance to finish his education. He obviously needs to develop his mind. But a second chance to play high school sports seems only to fuel the ego and machismo, if not the brutality, of a young man who seems to need to define himself through physical exploits and dominance over others. Banning Hunt from sports would give him more time to focus on his studies and think about the harm his crime caused.
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3 days ago
I gotta admit, I am kind of suprised by your take on this.
ReplyDeleteThe kid made a mistake. He got agressive with too many too often. And while I don't view what he did as attempted rape, I do think he should be - and has been punished. Twenty years ago, this "crime" would have been considered horseplay.
What about second chances? What about a kid who wants to clear his name?
The West Central School District is allowing him to continue his education. The South Dakota Activities Association is allowing him to participate in sports. Once the SDHSAA clears him, the school district can't stop him.
This is harsh, and unexpected, from you.
There are many Alternative High School Completion Programs similar to the AIM High in Madison and STRIVE High in Dell Rapids that this young man could have attended to complete his requirements for High School Graduation. It wouldn't surprise me if West Central recruited this older senior to compensate for player losses following graduation. He was a sexual bully and shouldn't be playing. Your criticism is "on the money" and not at all too harsh considering his penetrating past.
ReplyDeleteOh, come on, you guys. Do you really think a guy who can play a sport (I don't know this guy but evidently he can pay football) would ever be banned from playing if it meant a chance to make a winning team? Not a chance in SD! Sports rules here.
ReplyDeleteStudents can knowingly be violating the training rules with regard to drinking etc and even have this proven by pictures, and nothing ever happens to them as far as getting kicked off teams if it means the sports fans of a town would miss a chance at a state win. Are you listening, Madison high school?
I won't bring up the Roosevelt incident two years ago...o.k. I will! This is response to the last post. Those kids got that on cell phone camera, and YES they did get suspended! So don't say schools don't discipline that kind of behavior, they definately do! I don't know where you're from, but if they aren't disciplining in your area, you had better raise some hell!
ReplyDeleteAs a West Central parent of a young boy, I am very disappointed that a convicted felon, known to abuse boys, is being given the PRIVILEGE to play sports or any other extracurricular activies. I do believe he should be given the opportunity to finish his high school education, but it is crossing the line to allow him any other perks other high school students earn.
ReplyDeleteI am curious -- are other parents upset about this? What's the general sentiment around Hartford? I would hope that if parents share the sentiment of the above Anon, they would bring their concerns to the school.
ReplyDeleteOkay so I'm going so say something about this. I went to school with Jerome.. and I know everything that went on. He was a senior so it was pretty much just freshman initiation, and yeah he may have gone a little bit to far, but nothing to bring to court. It happens with everyone. and this whole thing has torn so many people apart. Jerome has done so much for West Central.. I mean seriously, he won state wrestling for them. I am very disappointed that someone would actually say things like this about him. I think that if anyone would meet Jerome, you would like him. I think people just need to forgive and forget a little bit....and yes, i think people should be given second chances.
ReplyDelete