Washington State hazing might have had criminal charges by perps

by JOHN LANGELER / KING 5 News

NWCN.com

Posted yesterday at 5:40 PM

“Messed up and horrible.”

That’s how one witness described a hazing incident involving Capital High School students at a Western Washington University basketball camp.

The account is detailed in a police report released by WWU Police Thursday, which outlines how at least eight upper-classmen “wrestled three boys to the ground.”  In at least one case, the report states “older boys (were) putting their fingers inside” younger boys.

Included in the report is information from the victim’s parents, who say their son “has not mentioned anything about the incident to his parents” and that he had been enrolled in counseling.  They added they did not want to press charges.

Eleven-year head boys basketball coach Doug Galloway lost his job over the hazing for “lack of adequate supervision,” according to the Olympia School District.

Ever since, a group of parents and students have tried to get Galloway his position back.  They created a Facebook page with more than 2,000 followers.

District spokesperson Ryan Betz said Thursday the administration stands behind its decision.

“The district has said he’s a good coach,” Betz explained. “He’s a good teacher.  That’s why he continues to maintain his job as a teacher.

“It’s a serious enough incident that the supervision needed to be there and he needed to be held accountable.”

Galloway said he was at a social event with other coaches when the hazing happened.  Police reports show he notified Child Protective Services and University Police the morning after when he learned of the incident.

While the district said the students were unsupervised, Galloway said there was a coach on-hand.