Wheaton Hazing Representation of Larger Problem
September 26, 2017
The American collegiate athletic system has a track record of doing what’s best for their school, not necessarily what is right. Five Wheaton College football players are facing felony charges after allegations of extreme hazing on March 16, 2016. The accuser himself has not revealed his identity. However, evidence so far has been in favor of the victim. It was alleged that the five players— James Cooksey, Kyler Kregel, Noah Spielman, Benjamin Pettway and Samuel TeBos sodomized a fellow teammate while tearing both of the victim’s shoulder muscles as well as sodomizing occurring during the course of the hazing. Wheaton College condemned thes behavior as unacceptable and said it does not align with the values of the college, which has a zero tolerance policy for hazing.
While Wheaton College launched an internal investigation and suspended the young men from school, three of the five players took the field last week in a game against Carthage College. The college’s allowing the playing of these three players is a pattern in a line of incidents where the actions of athletes are not properly dealt with in criminal cases. Even though the details of the case are being discussed, there’s no denying unimpeded harm was bestowed upon the victim. The players in question turned themselves in and have since posted bond.
Instances such as the one that took place in Wheaton are opportunities to teach and let players know this is absolutely unacceptable. Wheaton shamed this behavior. However, letting the players continue to represent the school on the football field has given me a reason to believe that this was simply a formality. The college has no serious intention of punishing these players. Every year in colleges across the country young men from all around are subjected to the testosterone-induced power trips that upperclassmen forcibly subject underclassmen to. The lack of repercussions tied to hazing has allowed these acts of idiocy to become OK.
Wheaton must remove these players from the program if they want to uphold the integrity of their institution. Failing to do so will result in the diminishment of the credibility this university once had. In a sport that is predicated on the ability of 11 players to work together and an overwhelming message of brotherhood this must be come down on….. hard.
Jeff • Sep 29, 2017 at 11:38 am
Carlos, your biased, sensationalized — and let’s say ignorant — comments are quite telling. I stopped reading IMMEDIATELY once you said “… evidence so far has been in favor of the victim. It was alleged that the five players sodomized a fellow teammate…”
Where do I start?
First, there are no substantiated allegations of sexual assault. Why do I say that? Because there are no charges — and you and I both know that if there were ANY evidence to support the accuser’s accusations, there would definitely be charges. The medical exam for sexual assault conducted by the hospital where the accuser went minutes after the hazing incident hasn’t been released. When it is introduced in court as evidence, it will show there was zero evidence of sexual assault. Also, the independent Title IX investigation into that specific accusation also found no evidence to support it. So please stop sensationalizing your commentaries and cease from referring to that unsubstantiated accusation — unless, of course, you refer to it as what it is,.. an unsubstantiated accusation.
As to the other “evidence so far,” what evidence are you possibly referring to? We already know the hospital’s sexual assault exam hasn’t been published/released. The independent Title IX investigation report likewise hasn’t been released. Do you mean the hospital’s medical exam has been released and it shows shoulder damage? Nope… nada from the hospital. Do you mean the police’s interview with the young lady who actually picked up the accuser from the park where he was left and returned him to his dorm??? Nope… and you know something funny? She has never been interviewed by the Wheaton Police, or for that matter by you or any other journalist/commentator. Can you explain that? DO YOU EVEN KNOW HER NAME? Bottom line — no evidence has been released… only allegations and ignorant, sensationalized statements by commentators including yours in the above commentary..
Keep in mind that a medical exam was conducted by the hospital the accuser went to minutes after the incident, as well as a sexual assault exam conducted at the same time. The College conducted it’s own investigation into the incident, and there was also an independent Title IX investigation on the accusation of sexual assault. AND the Wheaton PD conducted it’s own investigation. Those investigations at the time of the incident all pointed to a violation of the College’s hazing policy, for which disciplinary actions were taken and implemented.
What I find absolutely unbelievable is the media’s blind eye to the obvious ineptness and incompetence of the Wheaton Police and the DuPage State’s Attorney’s office and investigation. You and your readers realize this incident took place eighteen months ago, right? EIGHTEEN MONTHS to investigate what at face value is five guys restraining and roughing up another guy? Really?? The incident happened in Mar 2016, and they couldn’t complete their investigation in two months before students headed home for summer break? Or within the first month or two of the fall 2016 semester when everyone returned? NO… they take the remainder of the 2015-16 school year, summer break, the entire 2016-17 school year, another summer break, and file charges a month into the new 2017-18 school year. Plainly obvious, even to the casual passerby, is that there’s more to that timing than meets the eye. Or perhaps the authorities in Wheaton and DuPage County are simply inept and incompetent…
Joe • Oct 2, 2017 at 5:35 pm
Pretty sure he said “Allegedly” in reference to the crimes by the football players. You clearly missed the point of the article because his main point was that these players should not have been allowed to play amidst the investigation. As you can see in my previous comments, the problem here is that the players were allowed to play after the story broke. Which to me is inappropriate.
Jill Bates • Sep 27, 2017 at 1:52 pm
Please wait until these young men have had the opportunity to defend themselves and share all of the details of the events from 18 months ago including dozens of witnesses that will speak truth about this event.. There are very good reasons why the NCAA investigator and Wheaton Student Life investigation found these allegations to be questionable. The salaciousness of this post leads to further victimization of all parties included.
Joe • Sep 27, 2017 at 4:44 pm
Still don’t think it is in Wheaton College’s best interest to let them play after the story broke. It makes them look bad and it makes it look like they aren’t taking these allegations seriously. Whether they are or not, it’s how it looks.
Carlos • Sep 28, 2017 at 2:26 pm
I understand where you are coming from but more often than not staffs and administrations will suspend players indefinitely during the transgression of an investigation. Wheaton openly denounced the behavior saying it was not something that aligned with their values. Three of the kids were playing against Carthage College. There’s a clear disconnect