Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Fowlerville Community Schools is acknowledging misconduct occurred involving members of the high school varsity wrestling team and that corrective and disciplinary action was warranted, according to WDIV Detroit.

According to a statement from the district, it also determined that the evidence did not substantiate hazing as defined by Board Policy 5516 – Student Hazing.

A mother had said her son walked away from the Fowlerville High School wrestling team because he was urinated on in the locker-room showers in January.

The district first told WHMI News it could not comment on the allegations, but later reopened an investigation.

“(A school official) said there would be more training for the athletic director and the coaches -- it’s more BS,” the mother told WDIV on Friday.

“I’m frustrated to the point where I don’t even know what the next course of action would be.”

She said she might seek legal action or criminal charges.

The following is a statement credited to Fowlerville Community Schools:

Gladiators,

Fowlerville Community Schools is committed to providing a quality educational experience for all students in a safe, orderly, healthy, and nurturing environment. With that commitment in mind, we believe it is important to communicate clearly when serious concerns arise, while respecting the legal limits on what can be shared publicly about students and personnel. Following a recent news report about an incident that occurred last January involving the high school wrestling program, along with additional information received at that time, the district reopened its investigation. That process was guided by the district’s law firm and included a review of the incident, the district’s response, and student-athlete expectations. As a result of that process, the district determined that misconduct occurred involving members of the high school varsity wrestling team and that corrective and disciplinary action was warranted. The district also determined that the evidence did not substantiate hazing as defined by Board Policy 5516 – Student Hazing. The review showed that aspects of the district’s response and oversight needed to be stronger. Reporting should have occurred sooner. Communication should have been more formal and better documented. Expectations for supervision and reporting also needed to be clearer. We take responsibility for those gaps and are addressing them through improvements. The district is strengthening student safety, reporting, supervision, communication, and program expectations across our athletic and recreation programs. These changes are being developed and implemented with oversight from the Board of Education and the Superintendent, with some measures taking effect immediately and additional measures in place for the start of the upcoming school year. Every student deserves to participate in programs that reflect a safe, orderly, healthy, and nurturing environment. This incident reinforces our responsibility to ensure these standards are consistently met across all student experiences.

Fowlerville Community Schools