Manitoba high school’s handling of hazing allegations called into question after accused player receives sports awards

A rural Manitoba high school failed to take allegations of hazing seriously enough, a resident says, after a teenager charged in connection with alleged incidents on a hockey team was awarded two high school sports awards last month.

The awards were rescinded the next day, according to a community member who spoke to CBC. However, they are concerned about the message the awards send to other students and the victims of the alleged crimes.

“To me, it just sends the message that what happened wasn’t that big of a deal,” said the person, who CBC preferred not to name for fear of backlash if he came forward.

“I think changes need to be made because when something like this happens, other kids see it, other hockey players see it and think, ‘If the school doesn’t think it’s a big deal, why is it such a big deal?'”

According to a community member, the teen who accepted the awards is one of three teens arrested earlier this year following an investigation into hazing practices at a high school hockey team.

The team is made up of players from three school divisions. The school that initially awarded the student is in the south-central Manitoba Prairie Spirit School Division, the community member said.

CBC is not naming the team and school involved to protect the identities of the young people involved in this case.

3 17-year-olds charged

In April, the RCMP reported that three teenagers, all 17 at the time, “were arrested in connection with hazing activities on a hockey team.”

Two of the teenage boys were arrested for assault with a weapon, sexual assault and forcible confinement, while one of the teens was arrested for sexual assault and sexual assault, an RCMP news release said.

The RCMP confirmed that all three teens have now been formally charged.

At the time of the arrests, the RCMP said the incidents were first reported to police on Feb. 20, 2024. Two incidents allegedly occurred in November 2023 and January 2024 at a hotel while a high school hockey team from the Pembina Valley region was in Winnipeg for tournaments, they said.

According to the RCMP, there were five victims, all new to the team.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

The prize was taken from them, but what happened next is something these victims… will never forget.– Community member

The community member who spoke to CBC said that in addition to rescinding the awards in June, the school division apologized, saying there was a mistake made by the athletic department. No students were named in the apology.

But by that point, the damage had already been done, the person told CBC.

“Yes, the prize was taken away, but what happened next I don’t think the victims will ever forget,” they said.

The community member believes that there should be a protocol to ensure that school principals know which students are eligible for an award.

Responsibility for protecting everyone’s privacy: Division

According to the source, the award is not the only example of the school’s disturbing response to the alleged hazing practices.

They said the RCMP were quickly notified by the school when the rookies on the hockey team came forward with the allegations, but the students who were accused were initially allowed to continue playing on a high school basketball team, which is made up of students from more than one school. No arrests had been made at that time.

“The victims needed to see this,” the person told CBC.

“The mental health of these poor boys — I really feel sorry for them,” they said. “How would they feel about that?”

CBC News requested an interview with the school principal and the director of the Prairie Spirit School Division.

Schools and school units do not have the luxury of communicating the restrictions and consequences for individual students.– Prairie Spirit School Department

CBC also asked questions by email about why the student was selected for the awards, why the students involved in the case were allowed to continue playing on the basketball team, and how the school and the division are responding to concerns that the school is not taking the allegations seriously enough.

In a statement, the Prairie Spirit School Division said that “schools and school divisions cannot afford the luxury of announcing restrictions and consequences for individual students, as protecting everyone’s privacy remains our responsibility.”

The statement went on to say that the department is aware that some feel that not enough is being done. However, it remains a priority and our legal responsibility to safeguard the privacy of individuals while ensuring the safe participation and attendance of students, whenever possible.

Changing mentality around hazing

The co-founder of a Calgary company that educates coaches, parents and athletes about preventing bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination in sports said hazing incidents still occur, although they appear to be less common than in the past.

“The good news [is] “When it happens, it gets reported quickly and dealt with quickly,” said Wayne McNeil, who co-founded the Respect Group with Sheldon Kennedy, a former NHL player who was abused by junior hockey coach Graham James.

He did not go into details of this Manitoba case, but said he believes education plays a role in reducing the number of cases.

“Every coach in almost every sport today understands the tragedy that comes with hazing,” he said.

“Twenty years ago, it was kind of a rite of passage, a ritual, and sometimes coaches would even condone it to… get the rookies up to speed — boys will be boys, that kind of mentality. That’s not the mentality of today’s society.”

Players who come forward about incidents of hazing — which can include discrimination as well as physical, emotional and sexual abuse — should be believed, and teams should have protocols in place to deal with it if it happens, McNeil said.

“It’s a combination of education, it’s a combination of players knowing they’re absolutely going to be believed, and having the right protocols in place so they can safely report it and know it’s going to be taken seriously,” he said.

The community member who spoke to CBC commended the young players who came forward to report the allegations.

“I can imagine it wasn’t easy,” the person said.

They said they do not want to see such situations in the future and that there should be clear consequences for hazing practices so that the community sees that they are taken seriously.

The person also wants more training and awareness around hazing and better supervision of students in teams.

“My biggest wish here is to keep all students safe.”