BOARDMAN Student accused of hazing is charged

The school has taken disciplinary action against the boys.
BOARDMAN -- What police have called a case of hazing at Boardman High School has led to felony charges of gross sexual imposition against one student.
Police arrested a 15-year-old freshman student Friday. The boy was charged and released with a court date to be set by Mahoning County Juvenile Court at the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center.
Police said the freshman and two other students at the school accosted another 15-year-old freshman boy. The suspect pulled down his own pants and underpants and sat on the victim's face while he was being held by the other two boys.
Police said the episode happened after a gym class Dec. 12 at the high school. It was reported to police four days later by the victim's father.
Capt. Jack Nichols said all evidence pertaining to the case has been turned over to the juvenile court prosecutor, who will determine where the case will go. He said police charged the boy with gross sexual imposition because the encounter fit all the elements for the charge, but the juvenile court could change the charge.
Nichols could not say whether the two boys who held the student down will be arrested. That determination also will have to be made by the juvenile court, he said.
Isolated
Superintendent Don Dailey said the episode is not an ongoing hazing ritual but an isolated case. He said there was no known conflict between the boys.
"This was an unpleasant prank where, unfortunately, the boys did not consider the impact or consequences of what they were doing," he said. "This was the act of individual kids who made a poor decision. The school has taken appropriate disciplinary action."
Dailey would not specify what disciplinary action was taken against the boys, adding that some disciplinary action has been taken against all three.
Dailey said the teen charged had not been in trouble at the school before Dec. 12.