| Updated: 10/17/2012 9:55 am |
Published: 10/16/2012 7:48 pm
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The Locust Grove High School football team was practicing for this Thursday's game Tuesday afternoon, but that team will be without several players who have been suspended for their role in a hazing incident that district says happened during school hours on Wednesday.
While many in Locust Grove are talking about what happened, they didn't want to talk about it with FOX23. One person who did is Locust Grove Superintendent David Cash.
“The fact this has occurred is of great disappointment, but now it's how we handle it,” Cash told FOX23.
Cash calls what happened last week during a weight lifting session a “bullying/hazing incident, although rumors in the community have led many to think it's much worse.
“(The rumors have) spiraled out of control. Unfortunately, with the advent of Facebook and social media, the incident itself is much different than what people's perception is.”
Privacy laws prevented Cash from explaining many details of the incident with FOX23. He did reveal there were two victims who are students at the high school, and said neither is injured.
He says what happened in the weight room, is a clear violation of school policies and possibly local and state laws.
“We are working closely with the Locust Grove Police Department in case there are any criminal activities.”
The Locust Grove Police Department confirmed to FOX23 that they have open investigation into what happened on Wednesday.
Cash says several football players were suspended from last week's game and many will be suspended again this week. The ring leaders of the incident are no longer in school serving their punishment, but FOX23 has not been told how long they will be suspended. Cash hopes this sends a message to the students involved.
“This is severe and hopefully you take it serious and take ownership and become better because of it,” he said.
Superintendent Cash says he still needs to interview several more people over the next couple of days before he's able to announce any more details about punishments that could come out of this incident, including punishments to any teachers who may have been somehow involved.
Some students, according to Cash, have been reluctant to come forward about what they saw. Cash has promised to keep FOX23 informed about any decisions the district makes.
