Parents angry at Northwestern administrators for handling of hazing scandal
One faction in this seemingly never-ending hazing scandal that we haven’t heard from are the parents. We’ve heard from the Northwestern administration. We’ve heard from current and former players. We've heard from media members.
But there hasn’t been a voice from the parents who trusted their sons’ care to head coach Pat Fitzgerald and the Northwestern program.
And they aren’t happy.
Several of the parents WildcatReport talked with didn’t agree with the decision to fire Fitzgerald. But how upset they are about the firing pales in comparison with the anger they have for Northwestern’s administration – in particular, athletic director Dr. Derrick Gragg – and the way they handled the entire crisis.
“The [administration] caused this ****show,” said one frustrated parent via text message. “And its the [administration] that should clean it up. It shouldn’t be on the boys to do it. They’ve had enough.”
The parents who messaged WildcatReport requested anonymity. Not for the sake of themselves, but so that their sons won't be discriminated against.
The parents' emotions ranged from disappointed to furious that the administration didn't communicate with them or their sons as the crisis unfolded. They, like many others, would also like an explanation from school president Dr. Michael Schill about how Fitzgerald's punishment escalated from an agreed two-week suspension to termination within 48 hours based on the same results of a six-month investigation into hazing allegations within the football program.
Schill announced Fitzgerald's suspension last Friday. The very next day, The Daily Northwestern published an explosive story in which the same whistleblower detailed disturbing hazing incidents that were sexual and graphic in nature, and confirmed them with a second former player.
That night, Schill issued a statement opening the door to potentially more sanctions, saying that even though the report couldn’t prove that Fitzgerald knew of the hazing that was going on in his program, he should have known and would be punished accordingly.
Several more former players and managers corroborated various parts of the allegations in the media after the Daily story was published. Schill eventually fired Fitzgerald on Monday.
But more than the decision to fire Fitzgerald, the way the entire, agonizing episode was handled by the Northwestern administration really drew the parents’ ire. Both Schill and Gragg, they felt, did a terrible job communicating with both players and parents.
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MORE ON THE HAZING SCANDAL AND FITZGERALD'S FIRING:
Northwestern embarks on difficult search for interim head coach l Inside the team meeting for Pat Fitzgerald's dismissal | Fitz hires attorney to fight firing | Northwestern fires Pat Fitzgerald l Northwestern hazing scandal continues to grow l Timeline of events l Explosive hazing allegations call Fitz, NU administration into question
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The parents said that they and their sons had to learn of Fitzgerald's firing through social media. They got even angrier when they heard that Gragg was on vacation overseas and joined the team meeting after Fitzgerald’s dismissal via a Zoom call. They didn’t like that he didn’t answer any questions, either.
That prompted an avalanche of emails from parents to Gragg. WildcatReport obtained several of them. Here are two examples of their tenor and tone:
“Did you really just meet our boys over zoom?” wrote one parent. “And the President didn’t even meet with them? This is unprofessional and I would like to understand how you couldn’t fly back for a team that brings in millions to this university every year. These boys deserve more from you as the athletic director. They found out from the media before you! Be better! I couldn’t be more disappointed in this administration.”
“There just isn’t any excuse for these players to find out on social media,” wrote another. “Also for you to address them via zoom, and take no questions? Nothing from the President to the players? I’m disgusted with how this has been handled every step of the way. I expected much more.”
According to parents, it was only after Gragg received those emails that he finally reached out to them for the first time. In the email, which a parent sent to WildcatReport, Gragg states that, “Obviously, the past few days have been extremely difficult for everyone.” He goes on to explain why he wasn’t able to get back home to attend the meeting.
“Please know that yesterday’s team address is not a conversation I would have ever chosen to do remotely. On the contrary, when attempting to return to Chicago on two separate occasions during the past days, I was asked to stay in place to join important Zoom and telephone calls with my superiors. On yesterday, I was actually 20 minutes from boarding a flight back when I was made aware of the final decision. At that time, there were only two options, have someone from my Executive Team speak in my place or do my best to find a location within the airport to speak to the team myself via Zoom. Therefore, I chose to address the team myself. Despite having no control over the circumstances, I do sincerely apologize to you and everyone else connected to our program. I also began addressing the team on yesterday with an apology and then flew overnight to return to Chicago soon after speaking to them.
“The coming days will be challenging and filled with more important decisions. Please know that the health, well-being and safety of your sons/our student-athletes are our top priorities and will always continue to be.”
Both Schill and Gragg, who is also facing scrutiny for a toxic team culture within the Wildcat baseball program, have ground to make up to restore trust among the team's parents. They both have seriously eroded any credibility or goodwill they might have had, and parents have very little confidence in the program's leadership at this time.
As one parent said, “It’s out of control and frustrating for a parent who was so proud of their kid playing for Fitz and the NU program which is now being trashed.”