Lights Out
Spectators at the football game watch the Dance Team before things went awry
September 29, 2015
At last Friday night’s football game against Duxbury a portion of the student section exhibited unfortunate disrespectful conduct. Made up largely of upperclassmen, this group turned its back on the Dance Team during their half-time performance, refusing to watch. While this conduct was unappreciative and unsportsmanlike, the punishment issued is unnecessary and unfair. It affects many groups who were not involved with last Friday’s events. The punishment: no more under the lights sports games “until further notice.” This punishment affects students, citizens of Hingham, and sports teams that had no involvement, whatsoever, with the unacceptable behavior from a portion of the student section on Friday.
Under the lights games are a great outing for students to go to and support Hingham High School teams, but unfortunately the student body will no longer have the opportunity to do this. Senior Jessica Anderson, spectator at last Friday’s game, said, “I don’t think the whole student body should be punished for something a group of students did.”
And not only does this punishment affect the student body, but it affects citizens of Hingham as well. Senior Jake Cohen said, “The field was paid for by citizens of Hingham, through taxes and donations. By taking nights games away from them you are depriving them of a privilege and a facility they helped to pay for.”
Other sports teams also are subject to this punishment. These teams should be entitled to under the lights games with a great facility like ours available to them. Varsity Field Hockey player and Senior Casey Cosgrove said, “I feel as though something needs to be done about the poor and disrespectful behavior at recent sporting events, however, with that being said, this punishment affecting fall sports teams, in my opinion, is unreasonable and unjust.”
The punishment affects the soccer team as well, jeopardizing their under the lights game scheduled for this Friday at 6. Senior and Varsity Soccer player Chris Bierwirth said, “The punishment is disappointing. We only get a couple of night games each year and they’re always special for the seniors, and for all the players. So if it’s not resolved by Friday it’s going to be a real bummer to lose that night game. Also, a lot of people’s parents work during the day and can only make night games.” Clearly, this punishment affects a wide scope of people, more than just the student body.
We believe this punishment should be cancelled altogether or reconsidered. By saying this, by no means do we intend to imply that the student section’s behavior towards the Dance Team was excusable. By saying this, we are standing up for the student body because the punishment is unfair to them.
UPDATE: Punishment revoked as of Friday 10/2
Kate • Oct 2, 2015 at 10:39 am
Hi there,
I’m a producer working on a story about the cancellation of all night games. Would either Matt or Addy be free for an interview this afternoon? You can email me at kredding@whdh.com.
Thanks!
Jake Salvucci • Oct 2, 2015 at 12:25 am
Sad that this had to happen but I hope everything gets resolved for the sake of the athletes.
Joe • Oct 1, 2015 at 2:24 pm
Since when was Roger Goodell the principal of Hingham High?
another student • Oct 1, 2015 at 2:10 pm
I’m gonna go ahead and be the Devil’s advocate here and say that this is a common tradition for HHS fans, and it has been for years and years. Yet, now is the time that it becomes a big deal? The only reason anyone bothered to care about this was because the dance was dedicated to breast cancer awareness; a fact that the fans of the students’ section failed to realize (which is not their fault). I am confident that if the students had noticed that the dance was for breast cancer awareness, that NONE of them would turn their backs on the team. The students of HHS aren’t all the monsters that G-Mac makes us out to be. BOOM
Anon • Oct 15, 2015 at 2:24 pm
While I was not at the game, this is what I’ve heard about it: It wasn’t just people turning their backs on the dance team and refusing to watch. Things were also thrown. Some comments that could be classified as sexual assault were made. And here’s my thought on the whole BCA thing. So what difference if people knew the performance was for breast cancer awareness? How is this type of behavior appropriate if it was or wasn’t for BCA? Shouldn’t you be supportive of your peers regardless of what the dance was for or not? Stop trying to “pass the buck” so to speak. Respect each other. Support each other. Regardless. Stop and look at the big picture.
a community member • Oct 1, 2015 at 1:23 pm
What I find lacking in this article is any suggestion of what would be a reasonable punishment. Students are quick to complain and gasp aghast at the unjustness of the punishment, but none propose what might be a suitable alternative decision. I’ve heard from parents a lot of good ideas that I think are more fair than the punishment handed down, but these were from parents, not students. How about students stop whining and use their trained brains to come up with some ways to show that they support one another, to prove that they are a united student body, embracing everyone, regardless of what sport they play or don’t play.
another student • Oct 2, 2015 at 8:49 am
Doing nothing is a FAR better solution than taking away what the citizens of Hingham high already own. They paid taxes and they paid the athletic fees to the school, and that all went toward the field. G-Mac also has no way of finding out which students were involved, and she never will. There has been word around school that there are pictures and videos of specific kids turned around, but even if this were true, they will never be able to know everyone who turned, and even if they do, they have done nothing wrong. As previously stated, we (the student body. I wasn’t at the game, I had stuff to do) have EVERY RIGHT to express ourselves. I realize that in school, students have different rights than outside, but they did this outside of school, as normal citizens. And finally, I want to restate Article 33 of the Geneva Convention “Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism is prohibited.” G-Mac was wrong and overreacted and that’s it.
Chris • Oct 1, 2015 at 1:21 pm
This whole thing is ridiculous; sure, it’s silly to punish an entire town and student body for the actions of a few, but let’s back up here cuz that’s not the issue.
Who the hell does this principal think she is? Last time I checked, this was still America. The students can turn their backs on the dance team if they damn well feel like it. They weren’t yelling racial slurs at them, or throwing things at them; they were expressing their opinion and lack of support. Regardless of why they did it, or whether it was “nice” or “mature”, they should be allowed to voice that opinion.
The whole idea of kids in school having no rights whatsoever has gone too far. I get that it’s a place for education, not political statements, but we’re doing the kids a disservice teaching them that they MUST go along with what authorities have deemed proper behavior in any given situation. It’s not “cruel” to not support a team; who the hell says a student has to cheer for their team at a game? If they want to cheer the away team, more power to them. If they like the cheerleaders and not the dance team, WHATEVER.
I feel like by the time I’m 80 people will be treated like cattle and we’ll be getting charged with pre-crimes and tracked with microchips under our skin (just hyperbole, I don’t wear a tin foil hat). “Do this, don’t do that, CANT YOU READ THE SIGNNN?”
HHS Student • Oct 2, 2015 at 7:51 am
I agree with everything you’re saying, but I believe people were throwing things too…. Not entirely sure about it though. I still agree that the entire student body shouldn’t be punished, but I think whoever the idiots were that did that should be.
Ombudsman emeritus • Oct 1, 2015 at 12:59 pm
Collective punishment such as this is a violation of the Geneva Convention.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Geneva_Convention
Article 33. No persons may be punished for an offense he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited.
Pillage is prohibited
“The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Commentary to the conventions states that parties to a conflict often would resort to “intimidatory measures to terrorize the population” in hopes of preventing hostile acts, but such practices “strike at guilty and innocent alike. They are opposed to all principles based on humanity and justice.”
Additional Protocol II of 1977 explicitly forbids collective punishment.
Concerned Student • Oct 1, 2015 at 10:21 am
This article truly speaks to the wants and needs of the entire student body. It is unfair and wrong for everyone to be punished due to the immature actions of a small group of students. On the other hand why was no action taken by the bystanders, students, adults and faculty members, who attended the game that night. Not only did a small group of students offend the dance team, the rest of our school community did them no honor as they mindlessly watched and allowed for such a cruel action to take place. Although the shame may fall on all of us, the punishment should be specified to the culprits. The Dance Team has stayed nothing but strong during this entire ordeal and deserve the respect of their peers. Finally, amazing article Matt Dwyer and a great editing job by Addy Stupin.
Bigs • Sep 30, 2015 at 6:34 pm
you should start a petition
adviser • Oct 1, 2015 at 10:12 am
I think that might be coming in the near future, Biggles
-Matt
Jack Diamond • Sep 30, 2015 at 4:54 pm
Matt and Addy,
Great article. As you so clearly stated, the decision to punish everyone for the actions of a small minority of students, was unfair and wrong an many different levels. I am glad to see that the students at HHS have the sense to recognize the injustice and the conviction to speak out against this poor decision of the administration.
Keep up the Good Work!
adviser • Oct 1, 2015 at 10:10 am
Thank you! We love to hear that people are read and agree with the article!
-Matt
Binkle • Sep 29, 2015 at 10:40 pm
Nice RFS