NJ school cancels football season amid bullying allegations

SAYREVILLE, N.J. - Officials at a central New Jersey high school canceled their football season amid allegations of harassment, intimidation and bullying among players.

Sayreville War Memorial High has won three sectional titles over the past four years, making them one of the top football teams in the state.

School officials made the announcement Monday night during a meeting with the players' parents. The district already had canceled and forfeited a game that was scheduled last Thursday against South Brunswick, and announced that the Middlesex County prosecutor's office was investigating the allegations.

"There was enough evidence that there were incidents of harassment, of intimidation and bullying that took place on a pervasive level, on a wide-scale level and at a level at which the players knew, tolerated and generally accepted," Superintendent Richard Labbe told reporters Monday night. "Based upon what has been substantiated to have occurred, we have canceled the remainder of the football season."

Labbe said he could not discuss the investigation, and the prosecutor's office has declined to release any details. No charges have been filed. Labbe said Prosecutor Andrew Carey told him there is credible evidence to back up the allegations of bullying and harassment within the program.

The school first learned of the allegations last week through an anonymous tip made to the Sayreville Police Department, Labbe said, according to CBS New York.

Also last week, an assistant football coach at the high school resigned amid allegations that he possessed steroids. Labbe said at the time that the allegations against the former defensive coordinator were the focus of a separate investigation and were not related to the cancellation of last week's game.

Labbe would not comment on whether any personnel would be fired in connection to the bullying allegations, but he said in addition to the criminal investigation, the school will also investigate to see if similar behavior took place within any other sports at the school, according to the station.