Politics & Government

PUSD: "Really Good Kids Can Make Mistakes'

At Wednesday's school board meeting, Supt. Constance Hubbard criticized media reports of a "fantasy slut league" at Piedmont High School and said the district doesn't want to taint a wonderful group of kids.

During Wednesday evening's Board of Education meeting, Piedmont Unified School District Superintendent Constance Hubbard criticized media coverage of a so-called "fantasy slut league" at Piedmont High School and defended PHS students as "wonderful kids."

The league's existence became publicly known when PHS Principal Rich Kitchens sent a letter to students' parents Oct. 19 outlining an activity where varsity athletes "drafted" female students — in the manner of a fantasy football league. His letter said, "Male students earn points for documented engagement in sexual activities with female students." He said the school's response would focus on education and understanding, not discipline for past activities. 

"The media is seeking to sensationalize this," Hubbard said Wednesday night. "I'm sorry it's become online fodder."

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Hubbard also said, "We do need to set the record straight. We have absolutely no information on criminal conduct.

"Good kids can make mistakes," Hubbard said. "We have such a wonderful set of kids — we don't want to taint them."

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Parents "absolutely need" to discuss the issue with their children, she said.

Hubbard said she plans to answer all emails received from parents. The district is "working with all the parent groups to move forward," she said.

She did not address questions that have arisen about the accuracy of Kitchens' letter. Several people who wrote letters to the editor or commented on Piedmont Patch articles have said that the league was primarily a vehicle for recording gossip about students' sexual activities, did not involve force or coercion, and did not revolve around athletes having sex with girls they "drafted."

"I appreciate that the administration is focused on helping kids," said Board President Richard (Rick) Raushenbush at the Wednesday meeting. "This wasn't kept a secret, it was brought out into the open."

The issue has received wide media coverage locally, nationally and internationally, with reports in outlets as diverse as KQED's Forum with Michael Krasny to the New York Daily News.

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