The coach’s failure to put an adequate supervision plan in place that would have protected the victims is reason enough not to renew his contract. But this may not have been the first time a hazing incident occurred on Galloway’s watch.
A similar assault on the team’s younger players may have occurred last summer. During its current investigation, one of those involved in the hazing at WWU reported he was similarly abused in an incident last year at a basketball camp in Oregon.
The district and the school board needed to send a strong message, and it did: Hazing of any sort is not OK.
The cycle of abuse between last year’s incident and the current one must not develop into a nudge-nudge, wink-wink interpretation of consent. It must be stamped out quickly, and children must feel free to report misconduct of any kind.
No student reported the Oregon hazing incident, probably out of shame, fear or both.
There is no greater responsibility for high school or university coaches than the educating, nurturing and protecting of children under their charge.
This incident should be the canary in the coal mine for every other coach in every other sport in every other school district in Thurston County.
