Maine West Hazing Lawsuit Reaches Settlement

Personal injury law firm, Romanucci & Blandin, announced the settlement of a lawsuit today on behalf of its clients, five former student-athletes from Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Illinois, against the school, Maine Township High School District 207 and several of its coaches for the hazing of student-athletes by upper classmen that included physical assault.

The suit, which was filed in November of 2012, brought to light the alleged inappropriate hazing rituals which were taking place between students in the athletic program at the school.

After extensive motion practice and discovery, the parties decided it was mutually beneficial to put the contested matters behind them, and, instead, continue to work forward and maintain safe communities for children of all ages at all levels of education from unsafe practices which could cause harm to children, parents, educators and school districts themselves.

“We applaud the Board of Education, along with District 207 and Maine West administrators, who handled the hazing allegations and reports seriously from the time they were made,” said lead plaintiff’s attorney, Antonio M. Romanucci, Principal and Partner at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC. “The children involved in this experience, along with their families, are happy that they have been able to put this chapter of their lives behind them. As they are now all adults, they are concentrating on their college studies, careers and bright futures.”

The Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education has publicly disclosed the terms of the settlement agreement which is $200,000 for each of the five plaintiffs involved.