New life for scandal-plagued high school football program

SAYREVILLE, N.J. -- The football program at Sayreville War Memorial High School will resume this fall, for the next school year, after it was called off in the midst of a massive hazing scandal, CBS New York confirms.

Sayreville School Supt. Rick Labbe said during a Tuesday night Board of Education meeting that he believes football is very important to the district's athletic programs, so the program will resume, according to a MyCentralJersey.com report.

In September, the school canceled the remainder of its football season for the year in the midst of the hazing scandal.

Seven Sayreville football players were charged after some teammates alleged they were sexually assaulted and inappropriately touched by a handful of older varsity players during hazing rituals inside the team's locker room.

Victims claimed in disturbing details that they were anally violated.

The Middlesex County prosecutor's office last month decided to prosecute the suspects as juveniles, not adults.

No coaches were charged, but Coach George Najjar and four assistant coaches were suspended with pay. The assistants were reinstated last month to their teaching duties, but Najjar was later removed as a strength and conditioning coach.

Three paid part-time coaches and five volunteers were fired in connection with the scandal.