DeMatha Community 'Saddened and Hurt' by Prostitution Scandal
DeMatha Principal issues a statement responding to reports that football players hired prostitutes after a road game in Durham.
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DeMatha Catholic High School's principal, Dr. Dan McMahon, has released a statement detailing how school officials learned of and responded to reports that five of its student-athletes on the football team hired three prostitutes and snuck them into the team hotel.
"The school stands behind our coach, Elijah Brooks, his staff, the school staff who monitored the trip, and our students," wrote McMahon in the statement. "The school community is saddened and hurt by the actions of these few who do not reflect the character of the community."
According to McMahon, the incident happened on Saturday, Sept. 1, following last week's road game against Hillside High School in Durham, NC. The team, which sent 65 players and 18 chaperones to Durham, held a meeting with student athletes and parents before the trip.
"Expectations for behavior were reinforced throughout the trip," said McMahon in the statement. "As on all field trips, we conducted room checks and monitored hallways."
McMahon said that the chaperones had conducted bed checks at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday and that the hallways of the hotel had been monitored through 4:30 a.m.
McMahon confirmed reports that the students snuck the prostitutes into the hotel after 5 a.m. on Saturday morning.
School officials did not learn of the incident until three days later on Tuesday, Sept. 4. An investigation was then begun by school officials. Soon after, according to McMahon, five student-athletes on the football team were informed that they would be facing disciplinary procedures stemming from the incident.
McMahon said that school officials notified the Archdiocese of Washington of the incident, as well "proper authorities" in Maryland and North Carolina.
A phone call to the Durham Police Department seeking comment has not yet been returned.
The incident, first reported by The Washington Post late Thursday, has garnered national attention, with coverage of the incident appearing on USA Today and sports-news website SBNation.com
McMahon has been the principal of DeMatha since 2000. He's also a graduate of the school and a 29-year faculty member.
Patrick H.
8:32 am on Sunday, September 9, 2012
What else is new? I wouldn't be suprised if the team 'escort's and coach didn't know about this and just kept quite. Another Penn State. Maybe it's time to take athletics out of the school curiculumn altoghether. Obviously no one is monitoring anything and the 'higher-ups' all are astounded when these things come to light. DUMP THE COACH AND PRINCIPAL NOW!!!!!
Corey Somers
8:04 am on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
This doesn't even compare to Penn State. You think coach's would have known about this and kept it quiet? Dump the coach and principal? OMG...you may want to consider medication for your obvious paranoid mental condition.
A problem happened and the school has taken care of it. The fact that this is public news is mind boggling to me. Yes let's talk about sex instead of the school stabbings all over the Maryland area.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin
8:38 am on Sunday, September 9, 2012
Students are not taught ethics and morals in school. Until that thought process is ingrained in young heads you will continue to have the bad seeds affecting the gullible.
Gideon Zogin
1:14 pm on Monday, September 10, 2012
Mature fake name. No one can take anyone seriously when they are acting like a angry child.
Patrick H.
8:43 am on Sunday, September 9, 2012
Students go to shcool in order to learn. They learn from what they see and from what they are allowed to do. They also learn from their parents. I'd be suprised it the coach and escorts didn't know abou this. BAN the students and coaches for life from all athletic activities and the students will learn consequences. Wipe this under the drug as is usually done at 'private' schools and these are the kids that will learn to lie and cheat in their chosen professions. MAKE SURE THIS APPEARS ON THEIR PERMANENT RECORDS when they apply for college. Nice job to the parents.
Sheila
9:02 am on Sunday, September 9, 2012
Children's parents are their first teachers. Ethics are ingrained (or not) wayyy before the student reaches high school. Still, children make mistakes...some of those mistakes are very serious in nature. However, it is not the school's fault if and when those mistakes are made. The individual must suffer the consequences and the punishment the school doles out. In this case, they already have. If you believe that things are "wiped under the rug" at private schools you are misinformed. Catholic schools, like DeMatha, have the same responsibility to report and handle situations like this as do the public schools.
Michael A.
12:15 pm on Monday, September 10, 2012
Patric H. needs to learn some christian values like holding judgement and forgiveness! I just hope all the students and faculty learn from this incident. It's no Penn State but certainly leads to more serious problems later. Sounds like their on the right track with it being made public.
Gideon Zogin
1:16 pm on Monday, September 10, 2012
Michael, so you have decided Christianity is better than other religions? Freedom of Religion. It should come with a little respect too. How about just saying they need higher values.
Corey Somers
8:07 am on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Yes, Gideon.....Christianity is better than other religions just like buttered popcorn is better than salted. It is what it is.