Mom: Swampscott paddling is hazing

SWAMPSCOTT – A parent of a former student said past school officials ignored her complaints that the “senior tunnel” tradition at the high school constituted hazing and said she hopes the ritual will end after allegations that female students were paddled on the first day of school.”I was told by them that they would look into it, but (then Principal Larry Murphy) said that it wasn’t an issue and that it was a ?rite of passage,'” Allison Phelan said on Tuesday. Phelan said that she voiced her concerns while her daughter – who graduated in 2010 – was a student at the school and wrote a letter to each school committee member, Murphy, as well as the former superintendent. “What is the purpose of this other than showing the seniors as dominant or as a power thing? It didn’t make any sense to me. I want them to stop it and hopefully they will.”Superintendent Lynne Celli said Monday that a student had been disciplined for bringing a paddle to school but other allegations were unsubstantiated.”The Administration met with all seniors immediately when these allegations arose and began a full two-day investigation,” Celli wrote in a press release. “Appropriate discipline was imposed for the possession of a paddle. Other allegations beyond this were investigated and were not substantiated.”She said Monday that the district had made no decision on whether to have the event next year. On Tuesday afternoon, she refused to grant the Item permission to speak with High School Principal Layne Millington about the event.School Committee member Laurier Beaupre said that he could not say whether the tunnel had been an issue in the past but said the tradition should end.”Times have changed and any first day of school ritual that starts to cross the line into what could be considered hazing or bullying is just not legitimate anymore,” Beaupre said. He also expressed confidence that the district had addressed the situation appropriately – both before the event by explaining to students what would and would not be permitted and after the event by meting out punishment.”I think it’s an unfortunate situation, but have every confidence that it will be dealt with appropriately,” he said.The senior tunnel involves members of the senior class who form two lines and shout while underclass students dash between the lines on the first day of school. Students interviewed after the allegations were made said that the event was a fun tradition. Students and parents also noted that the school officials provided an alternate entrance for students who did not want to participate. Celli said that the district sent out this information to all parents and that Millington had met with senior class officials before the event to establish rules for the event.But Phelan said she was not surprised of the allegations that female students were paddled.She said that her daughter had been “stressed out and sick” about the event as an underclassman and refused to participate as a senior. Other students came in late, or went in the back entrance, she said.”I was not surprised when I saw the story, I was afraid that something worse would happen,” she said. “I told them something was going to happen – you get the mob mentality and teenagers and that’s what happens ? if you have one kid that has some serious mental issues, they might punch somebody in the head.”As to whether the senior tunnel was a demonstration of school spirit or not an issue – as she said previous school officials had felt – she strongly disagreed.”If people aren’t intimidated, why is there a need for another entrance?” she asked. “If it’s just a ?happy rite of passage,’ then why is another entrance needed?”She said that she remembers the first day at Swampscott High School – she said she graduated in 1987 – as very different. She said the cheerleaders would decorate the school with signs welcoming new students. She also spoke highly of the school.”I don’t think it’s a bad school, I think it’s a bad policy,” she