CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – Officials at St. Paul’s School in Concord say 15 senior girls broke school rules and a state law against hazing this month.

Craig Anderson, the school’s rector, sent an e-mail to parents saying the girls had been disciplined, but not expelled. He did not specify the discipline, but said it was appropriate, just, fair, and allows for restitution, forgiveness and redemption.

Anderson wrote that all of the students that the school’s disciplinary committee met with “engaged in behaviors that constituted hazing as defined by state law in New Hampshire and as outlined in the student handbook.”

The school hasn’t given details on the hazing, but sources have reported it involved younger girls and was sexualy oriented. Five girls were suspended for the fall term and must write letters of apology to the victims, the victims’ parents and the school. Others were suspended for two weeks.

Meanwhile, Concord police are investigating.

The Concord Monitor reported in Tuesday’s edition that the seniors woke up the new girls in the middle of the night and forced them to simulate oral sex with bananas and answer sexually explicit questions, according to an employee who asked not to be named.

“These kids were wonderful kids who made a mistake here,” said Doug Dickson, dean of students. “No one was hurt. We think we’re handling this situation in a sensitive way to protect these kids.”

Seniors arrived at St. Paul’s on Sept. 9 and new students arrived the next day. The hazing happened over the weekend before other students arrived. The school started classes on Sept. 13.

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