Sayreville school board approves coaches’ suspensions
Sayreville high school football coach George Najjar and four assistants were formally suspended, with pay, by the district's school board Tuesday night.
The action, by a 9-0 vote, came amid reports of the Middlesex County prosecutor's first public comments about the possibility of adult treatment for the seven juveniles charged in the team's sexual hazing scandal.
Board president Kevin Ciak told the crowded meeting room that the suspensions were not intended to be punitive but are appropriate as the criminal investigation continues. NJ.com reported that the four assistant coaches suspended were: Edward
Mish, Michael Novak, Mark Poore and Timothy Ballard.
No coaches have been charged in the criminal case now under investigation by Carey's office. But seven students, age 15 to 17, have been charged with juvenile delinquency in connection with alleged assaults of four members of the football team.
Vincent Fultz, a varsity senior, called Najjar one of the greatest men he's ever met. He also refused to believe the allegations that have rocked the football program.
"They're all false," he said. "I'm in the locker room almost all the time with all my teammates, and I've never seen anything happen."
Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey told CBS2 that his office is under "significant" community pressure as it weighs whether to charge any of the seven students as adults.
Making it clear that he was speaking only generally about the nature of such decisions, Carey told CBS 2 that several factors come into play:
- The "seriousness of the crime;"
- Whether the defendant has any criminal history;
- The "wishes of the victim."
The serious and sexual nature of some of the reported hazing has drawn national headlines and promoted Sayreville school district officials to cancel the high school's 2014 football season. School superintendent Richard Labbe has indicated that the 2015 season could also be at risk.
Dino Flammia contributed to this story.
MORE COVERAGE:
- Sayreville Board of Education upholds suspension of football coach George Najjar / NJ.com
- Suspensions of Sayreville head coach, assistants after football hazing scandal extended at school board meeting / ABC 7
- Board Approves Sayreville Football Coaches’ Suspensions in High School Hazing Case / New York Times