football

Ex-Sayreville High School Football Coach Reassigned to Elementary School

The former football coach at the scandal-plagued Sayreville War Memorial High School will keep a teaching job in the system, but not at the high school.

George Najjar lost his football head coaching job after seven players were involved in hazing incidents last fall classified as sexual assaults by the Middlesex County Prosecutor.

Najjar was reassigned by the Sayreville School Board to Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School, where there are no locker rooms.

The alleged sexual assaults at the high school occurred in the football players' locker room when none of the coaches were present after practice.

"This concludes our investigation into the events that took place within our football program this fall," Superintendent Dr. Richard Labbe said in a statement.

The board also approved new guidelines for all athletic coaches in the future, including taking anti-harassment, intimidation and bullying courses at least twice every five years.

"We are dedicated to continually educating all members of our school community in what harassment, intimidation, and bullying is, particularly in extra-curricular and athletic activities, and what their moral, ethical, and legal obligations are in addressing it," Labbe's statement said.

Najjar, who according to sources likely will never coach again in any capacity in Sayreville, will be allowed to keep his teaching tenure with his transfer to the elementary school, but under the negotiated agreement, will also see his salary completely frozen for the next school year.

Labbe has already said a search is underway for a new head football coach, and that the program suspended last fall will be back on the gridiron in September.

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