YOUNGSTOWN — An Ohio high school has canceled its football season after two lawsuits were filed for hazing and sexual assault.
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Ursuline High School, in Youngstown, said the season couldn’t continue due to the legal action.
"<i>The issues that have been raised with our team have saddened and shaken us. As we have previously reported, disciplinary actions were taken against some students, others left the program or our school entirely before discipline could be imposed, our head coach has been suspended, two assistant coaches are on administrative leave, and we continue to cooperate with investigations of this very serious matter.</i>"
— Ursuline High School Leadership Team said
As previously reported by News Center 7, the first lawsuit alleged that a player endured an “initiation” as part of the team’s “hazing culture” during a football trip in June. The player was a soon-to-be freshman.
“Soon after departing from Ursuline (while still in Ohio)—and throughout the entire trip—several of the upperclassmen players openly discussed the hazing and ‘initiations’ that would take place during the trip, including ‘taking butts,’ stripping fellow players, and other forms of abuse,” the lawsuit states.
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Several high school coaches were suspended or placed on leave after this lawsuit was filed.
The second lawsuit, which was filed on Wednesday, accused a football player of sexual harassment, stalking and violent assault, according to our CBS affiliate, WOIO-19 TV.
Attorney Subodh Chandra said a “minor-female high-school student” and her mom filed a federal Title IX lawsuit against Athletic Director John DeSantis, Assistant Principal Margaret Damore, an Ursuline student (Ursuline Player-6), his parents and the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown.
The suit alleges that the student sexually harassed, assaulted, menaced, and stalked the girl.
It also alleges that school officials intentionally didn’t do anything becuase the student’s status as a “venerated star football player,” WOIO-19 reported.
The alleged abuse started in June 2023, when the football player and the girl were both freshmen.
“He began soliciting her for sex. She was shocked. She was very innocent and refused,” Chandra said.
After the girl rejected and blocked the player, the alleged abuse worsened.
The player allegedly chased down the girl, picked her up, violently dropped her twice, and dragged her 30 feet across a turf field. The girl sustained a severe turf burn on her back, according to WOIO-19.
“She and her mother, the suit alleges reported that to the assistant principal and she insisted that they not report this to law enforcement,” said Chandra
In Fall 2023, the two students were placed in the same class and the abuse continued, according to the complaint.
“The family alleges in this lawsuit that she was subjected to continuing harassment,” said Chandra
WOIO-19 reported that this filing has multiple reports from the student to school leaders that were unanswered.
“The filing contends Player-6 was emboldened by a school culture that elevated football as a ‘false idol’ and discouraged accountability,” Chandra said.
The girl’s mother said they sold their home and moved her to a new school for her safety, according to WOIO-19.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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