Oregon Public Broadcasting

Portland's Grant High School has faced intense scrutiny in recent weeks. It stems from an alleged violent altercation in a basketball locker room, on January 12th.

Portland sex crimes' detectives are investigating that incident. But they're also looking into assertions that Grant High may have a broader problem with violence and hazing.

Media reports suggest the problems may have started in the football program. Rob Manning shares the perspective of Ben Criswell. He's a Grant High senior, and the varsity football team captain.

School officials say the violent hazing that launched a sex crime investigation involved six members of the junior varsity basketball team. But Ben Criswell is speaking out, in part, to defend the football program against media reports that have connected last month's alleged assault to past behavior among football players.

Rob Manning / OPB

Grant High School football captain Ben Criswell

"I've never seen one kid specifically targeted in a way that would be perhaps, traumatic. I've never seen a kid be targeted with, like unbridled sexual assault. That's simply never happened that I've witnessed," Criswell said.

There is horseplay, Criswell says, and a degree of hazing, and at times it goes "too far" in his words. Criswell gives an example of the hazing he's seen in his four years as a player.

"It's usually a freshman that's usually like a freshman who's running his mouth, making himself stand out, um, kind of trash-talking to the seniors. That's kind of that superiority on the team -- a senior's not going to be taking crap from a freshman. It's generally accepted for him to handle that. But if it gets excessive -- I've never seen a kid crying because of it. If it would get out of hand, that would be beyond a just reaction, then the rest of the team would step in," Criswell said.

Football players will get physical with each other, according to Criswell, but not in a way that constitutes sexual assault, as suggested in some news reports.

"What I have seen is kids being slapped on the back of the neck, getting socked in the chest. I mean, nothing that would seriously degrade their psyche."

Principal Vivian Orlen told OPB that she's heard from parents who say their children experienced hazing and bullying at Grant that went too far. She says she was "confused" by their reluctance to report such incidents, until after the January 12th attack.

Grant High administrators say they're looking forward to the conclusion of the police investigation, when more information may come out.

A police statement from earlier this week said that what they're looking into involves  "incidents alleged that go beyond simple hazing."

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