Statement by Andrew McKeough on the Conestoga Senior High School Hazing Scandal

AKSM Inc.
Office of the Press Secretary

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For Immediate Release
Saturday, March 5th, 2016
Moon Palace Grand – Cancún, Mexico

Statement by Andrew McKeough on the Conestoga Senior High School Hazing Scandal

12:00 PM EST

Good afternoon! I just wanted to have a moment before we left to address the storm of controversy that is brewing over the Conestoga community and gaining national attention. A few months ago a freshman at my former high school - Conestoga - was hazed to the point of harassment during a weekly ritual in the football locker room known as “No Gay Thursday”. This student was held down by three senior teammates - all seventeen - who decided that it was right to penetrated him with a broom handle and then would go on to place their private parts on other heads of other teammates in the locker room. I just wanted to start with that to allow you all to think about what this child went through. In no society whatsoever is it right to violate a teenager like that. Especially at Conestoga. I am appalled to say the least to hear of this latest scandal coming from the school that I called home for four years of my life. I made some of my best friends at this school, had experiences and opportunities that will trump any other I come upon in the future and left with lasting memories which, I thought, would last a lifetime. Conestoga is not a school where bad things happen. It takes pride in their tradition of excellence which is instilled in every student from the first day of orientation in their freshman year. Things that would be considered bad would be when the day for senior prank would come around and students would place alarm clocks in the ceilings of classrooms. I was horrified to hear the news that created an abrupt halt to my holiday here. Conestoga is nationally ranked year after year in the three schools in Pennsylvania as well as being nationally ranked as one of the top ten high schools in the United States. Bad things don’t happen at this school. But then again bad things did happen. I hate to say it, but bad things are going to happen in every single high school across the country and every school around the world. All it takes is one student to say something. That being said, I have a few messages that I would like to take a moment to address. The first is to students. At no time is it right to bully someone, harass someone, abuse someone or even haze someone. I want to tell students across the world that if they have been a victim or know someone that has, speak out! Don’t just hide away in your own little world. People are here to help you! So what if someone says that you are a snitch? Even if they are your best friend, and they say that, that means they aren’t your real friend. Your real friends will support you no matter what and will never let go of you, let alone take the risk of it. If you see something, say something. At Villanova, where I go to university, we have multiple ways of anonymously submitting a tip. You could be saving a life by just saying one sentence. To the press. Please stop. Stop trying to report just a story. Report the truth. The truth is that this is happening in every school across the nation, and across the world. You have the power to help change this! The press is the number one source of information that people look to every day. If you could just spend a few minutes a day reporting on the seriousness of these crimes, I truly believe that the amount of instances of these crimes happening would decrease. Immensely. Also if you would give some space to the students, faculty and staff at Conestoga that would be very nice. I hated to hear yesterday that some of my friends couldn’t get down streets due to the vast amount of news vans parked down the street. Another one of my friends had to be escorted out of the school and informed me that security was brought in to assist with keeping the press at a distance just so students could get out of the building. Some space at this moment would be appreciated. To the news of Coach Vogan. My family and I were devastated to hear of the suspension of Coach Vogan. Coach is a highly respected and liked man in not just in the football community but by students schoolwide. I do not want to even think that this may turn out like the Penn State Football scandal. I do not want to even go there. Coach Vogan is a good man who doesn’t deserve what has happened and the thoughts and prayers of your Conestoga community and I are with you. To the school. I cannot believe what this year has been. First a pornography scandal, and now this. I am scared to wear my school ring next week to class because people everyday ask me what high school I went to when they see the ring and now they’ll just have bad thoughts about it. I am not ashamed that I went to Conestoga. But I am horrified that this has happened and I am ashamed of the three seniors that have committed this crime. I am ashamed that three Conestoga students in one of the most prominent groups on campus would do such things. Especially to a teammate. To the nation. Unless you live on the Main Line, you do not know Conestoga. Conestoga students are drilled in pursuing only the best. They are taught from elementary school what is right and what is wrong. Do not jump to conclusions before you have all of the facts. People have been talking about the fact that the victim of this hazing incident was also the ringleader about the pornography scandal back in the Fall of 2015. To that rumor, as of now, I have no comment. In conclusion, these events should not be tolerated whatsoever. Research says that about forty-six percent of all first year college students have suffered from at least one incident of hazing during their high school years. Some of these cases do not end well for the victim and that is just wrong in so many different ways. I really do hope that this can be all cleared up peacefully and that the events that happened during the 2015-2016 school year at Conestoga will be a learning lesson for the country. Thank you and have a nice afternoon.

12:16 PM EST

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