Concerns over Columbian Hall of Fame induction rise

A Friday ceremony inducting the 1998 Tiffin Columbian girls basketball team, among other teams, to the high school's Athletic Hall of Fame included an individual who had been convicted of a sex crime in 2014, and who is currently a registered sex offender in the state of Ohio. Katie Fazekas, who lived in Tiffin in 2014, was a member of the hall of fame team and was sentenced to 17 months in August 2014 for a conviction of attempted sexual battery, a fourth-degree felony. Fazekas was charged due to a relationship she had with a 17-year-old female student at Carey High School, where she was a teacher. At the time of the incident, Fazekas was also an assistant basketball coach at Columbian. Fazekas surrendered her state teaching license and, being classified as a sex offender, she must register her address with the sheriff in her county of residence for the remainder of her life. She is currently registered in Licking County. According to a statement released Friday by the Hall of Fame Selection Committee, the committee wished to recognize the 1998 girls basketball team "based on the collective efforts and success of all team members." "Thoughtful consideration was given by the selection committee to include all members of the team including consultation with local law enforcement officials and legal counsel," the statement reads. The selection committee consists of 13 members that represent various roles in the schools and community. The selection process includes reviewing nominations submitted by the public and screened for voting by the committee. "The HoF committee recognizes this may be a sensitive issue for some in the community, however, we believe that all members of the 1998 Girls Basketball Team have the right to be included as part of this team induction," the statement reads. In the statement, the selection committee said "the individual in question has elected not to attend tonight's Hall of Fame Game." Fazekas had previously been inducted into the high school's Athletic Hall of Fame as an individual player, and had been removed. In a statement to Tiffin City Schools and the Tiffin community Monday, Meghan McBride, a school board member, presented her concerns about the incident. "I do not believe this error falls on any one person, instead, I think it is a series of events that point to a larger culture that needs to be addressed," McBride said. "And while I understand these conversations are difficult and uncomfortable, we cannot remain silent. The conversations have to continue, change must be enacted, and I am committed to doing better for our students and community." McBride sent her concerns in a letter addressed to survivors and families, students, staff and community members. She states, "I want to begin with my deepest apology for the harm and pain caused through the choices to invite a registered sex offender to be celebrated on our football field, their picture hung in our hallways and to be in shared space with our students." The letter outlined several statements and questions put to the Hall of Fame Selection Committee. McBride said, "An individual with sex offender charges should never have been invited to a Tiffin City Schools function, and especially not to be honored or celebrated." McBride also expressed a concern about the committee not being overseen by the district. "There are a number of flaws with this rationale and TCS is unable to be 'distanced' from this," she wrote. "When this came to light, the handling of it was beyond poor," she said. "It lacked insight, disregarded victims, and was harmful." According to McBride, reports of individuals, concerned parents and alumni — some of whom were survivors and those who claim to have been impacted by Fazekas — who questioned the administration were told by administrators "if folks 'were uncomfortable, they could not come.'" "The statement put out by the HoF committee lacked remorse, ownership, empathy and had blatant falsehoods," McBride said. McBride also wrote, "In not calling the individual to ask her not to attend, who was the district protecting, and why? If the choice was to protect the individual in question, again I would like to know why?" According to McBride, the administration later told students not to attend a celebratory dinner for the hall of fame inductees Saturday if they were uncomfortable. "In what realm as schools' administration was it acceptable to uninvite TCS student-athletes because there was discomfort, or it is inappropriate to have our students with this individual — so the solution is to uninvite the students?" McBride asked. McBride also sent the letter to newly-hired Tiffin City Schools superintendent Michael Zalar. The selection committee issued a statement of apology Wednesday. "We would like to issue a sincere apology; we made an error in judgment when we included the individual in question in the weekend activities," the committee's statement reads. "As a committee, we attempted to honor the outstanding accomplishments of a team. Unfortunately, we did not meet the expectations of the community. As a committee, we did not do enough to advocate for the survivors and their families that were affected," it states. According to the statement, the committee will re-evaluate the selection process moving forward. Zalar's statement of apology came Tuesday. "On behalf of the Tiffin City School District, I would like to publicly apologize for the inclusion of the individual who was a member of the team who was previously removed," it states. "It was also a mistake to invite this person onto school grounds and include them as a participant in the recognition ceremony," Zalar's statement reads. According to Zalar's statement, the TCS district does not have authority over the selection committee and the Columbian High School Athletic Hall of Fame is a separate organization from the district. "In moving forward, I would like to use this unfortunate situation as an opportunity to address not only this specific issue, but other issues involving the safety, health and well-being of our students, staff and community," it states. "I am very sorry for the manner in which this incident was handled. I am committed to making changes necessary to ensure this does not happen again."