STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (WWJ) -- Concerned parents of Warren De La Salle High School students are calling for better communication, not only regarding the hazing scandal that ended the football team's season, but also about what many feel has been a lack of communication from school administration for several years.
More than 100 parents, alumni and administrators held an emotional meeting at the offices of UAW Local 228 in Sterling Heights Thursday night to voice frustrations.
Some describe the situation in the school district as a "toxic environment," but other overriding messages Thursday were about preserving the De La Salle legacy. To that end, John Monigold -- a 50-year De La Salle student administrator and former alumni relations director -- spoke at the meeting.
"Stay strong, because if one change happens, and I know this for a fact, one -- and I don't want to get into it, but you know what that is -- everything else will fall into place. Everything will fall into place. I swear," Monigold said to applause.
That "one change" is a reference to the feeling of many at Thursday's meeting and throughout the De La Salle community who would like to see the removal of school president John Knight. Sources tell WWJ's Jon Hewett there was a recent vote by the school's board about Knight's future that ended in a 9-9 stalemate.
Knight has been president of the school since 2015, and many parents have voiced their displeasure with the way he handled the hazing investigation. Back in October on the eve of the MHSAA state football playoffs, the school announced it was ending the season after reports of hazing in the locker room surfaced. A police investigation led to the suspension of three students, who returned to school earlier this month.
The families of the school reportedly reached an agreement on a lawsuit that had been filed regarding the suspensions, though the attorney representing the students did not return a request from WWJ seeking comment.
The school released a statement regarding the students' return Thursday.
"We adhere to a strict student privacy policy and cannot comment on student discipline or attendance. This has been a learning experience for our school, and we have made corrective actions to ensure the alleged hazing activities never happen again. We hope and pray that our students, parents and the community also take this as an opportunity to learn how to recognize inappropriate behaviors and report them accordingly," the statement said.
Parents are concerned about that lack of transparency regarding the scandal and other recent public relations incidents.
One organizer of Thursday's meeting was Joe Hallman, a De La Salle alumnus and father of three boys who attended the school. He says the issue of communication goes beyond the hazing allegations, including staff turnover, loss of donation and future enrollment.
"We're taking a lot of hits. We're taking a lot of hits in the media and it is a situation where we can't get out of the funk, so to speak," he told WWJ. "So the goal tonight, on a positive side, is that we've got a strong alumni base, probably one of the strongest. We are rallying around families that are relying on social media or word of mouth for the proper communication or what is going on. So once we get the administration to come back, give us answers to a lot of the questions that we want, we can then create a better narrative out in the public."
Organizers of Thursday's meeting are requesting a public forum meeting with De La Salle administrators.
The hazing incident first came to light in late October, when the school abruptly decided to end it's football season the day before the Pilots, winners of two straight MHSAA state championships, were set to begin the state playoffs. An investigation by the Warren Police Department alleges that football players held a younger teammate face down in the locker room, while one player sexually taunted and prodded him with a broomstick. Investigators say there was no penetration.
Since the investigation was launched, parents have reportedly said there are more victims, but no one has been willing to come forward.
The victim named in the lawsuit does not want to pursue criminal charges and none have been filed to this point.
