News Summary
A federal lawsuit has been filed against Ursuline High School by a former football player, alleging severe hazing, sexual assault, and child pornography distribution by teammates. The claims, stemming from a team trip, include attacks and filming of the incidents and suggest that coaching staff were complicit through inaction. In response to ongoing investigations, the school has cancelled a football game and implemented safety measures. The allegations have raised significant concerns within the community about the culture of the school’s athletic program.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — A former freshman football player and his family have filed a federal lawsuit against Ursuline High School, alleging serious incidents of hazing, sexual assault, and the dissemination of child pornography purportedly carried out by members of the school’s football team. The lawsuit was filed on September 1 in the U.S. District Court for Northern Ohio and sheds light on a troubling culture within the school’s athletic program.
The lawsuit alleges that during a nine-day team trip in June, which included stops in Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama, the player was subjected to initiation rituals associated with the team’s hazing culture. This included being attacked, assaulted, and stripped by several teammates. Disturbingly, it is claimed that these assaults were filmed and shared via a group Snapchat account. The lawsuit also indicates that coaching staff were aware of the actions taking place yet failed to take appropriate measures to intervene, leading to allegations of a cover-up and a climate of intimidation within the team.
The player’s attorney, Subodh Chandra, stated that the lawsuit delineates a comprehensive set of alleged wrongdoings against the student and his family, which have resulted in significant trauma for the victim. As a response to the ongoing investigation into these allegations, Ursuline High School has cancelled its scheduled football game against Farrell on September 5, citing the safety and well-being of its students as the top priority. The school has confirmed it is cooperating with the investigation opened after a formal family report regarding the incident.
Following the report, the school administration has implemented disciplinary actions against certain students, while others reportedly left the football program voluntarily before further discipline could be undertaken. In an effort to enhance safety, Ursuline has increased the presence of chaperones and mandated review training for students. However, the lawsuit claims that the issues of hazing and misconduct are longstanding problems that the school administration has not addressed adequately.
The lawsuit implicates several individuals, including the school principal, assistant principal, head football coach, two assistant coaches, the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, and 11 unnamed football players. Various allegations are included in the case, such as criminal hazing, sexual assault, aggravated assault, battery, kidnapping, false imprisonment, stalking, child pornography, and telecommunications harassment. The complaint emphasizes that the Ursuline administration had a duty to protect students from foreseeable harm, a responsibility that it allegedly failed to uphold.
According to reports, the alleged victim’s sister has reportedly faced intimidation herself from members of the football team, leading her to leave Ursuline prior to her senior year. The details within the lawsuit suggest that recorded incidents included students boasting about their actions and planning further attacks, revealing a serious pattern of abuse.
Concerns have surged within the Ursuline High School community following these allegations regarding the football program. The Youngstown Police Department has initiated an investigation into the claims outlined in the lawsuit, signaling a growing commitment to addressing what could be a significantly adverse situation for the school and its students.
As the case continues to unfold, the implications for Ursuline High School and its football program are profound. The allegations bring to light critical questions surrounding the culture of safety within educational institutions and the necessity of accountability for those in positions of authority.
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