CINCINNATI, Ohio — Allegations of a hazing incident have led to a high school football coach being fired and the football program being paused as an investigation gets underway, reports say.
A spokesperson with Cincinnati Public Schools tells WCPO Channel 9 that Armand Tatum, football coach for Western Hills and Dater, has been relieved of his duties. The school also has halted the team’s activities until a new coach is appointed.
The team’s game Friday against Goshen has been canceled, Local 12 reports. WCPO reports Goshen will play against a different opponent.
WLWT Channel 5 reports the alleged hazing incident was recorded and was circulated in a video online. WCPO reports the video shows boys pulling off some of the clothes of the victim as he’s being held down.
“Actions like this are not representative of who we are as school communities, the young people that come to our campuses each day, or our staff,” the district wrote in an email to parents, Local 12 reports. “We want to assure you that we are acting swiftly and with gravity to address the situation. The student who was the target of this incident is being provided with appropriate emotional and mental health services. We ask that you respect his and his family’s privacy.”
The incident remains under investigation and the student targeted by the hazing is being provided with emotional and mental health services.
“We highly encourage students who may currently have the video on their device to delete it immediately,” CPS officials said in a statement to WLWT. “We are saddened and upset by what happened and school leadership and the CPS administration is taking it very seriously.”
A spokesperson with Cincinnati Public Schools tells WCPO Channel 9 that Armand Tatum, football coach for Western Hills and Dater, has been relieved of his duties. The school also has halted the team’s activities until a new coach is appointed.
The team’s game Friday against Goshen has been canceled, Local 12 reports. WCPO reports Goshen will play against a different opponent.
WLWT Channel 5 reports the alleged hazing incident was recorded and was circulated in a video online. WCPO reports the video shows boys pulling off some of the clothes of the victim as he’s being held down.
“Actions like this are not representative of who we are as school communities, the young people that come to our campuses each day, or our staff,” the district wrote in an email to parents, Local 12 reports. “We want to assure you that we are acting swiftly and with gravity to address the situation. The student who was the target of this incident is being provided with appropriate emotional and mental health services. We ask that you respect his and his family’s privacy.”
The incident remains under investigation and the student targeted by the hazing is being provided with emotional and mental health services.
“We highly encourage students who may currently have the video on their device to delete it immediately,” CPS officials said in a statement to WLWT. “We are saddened and upset by what happened and school leadership and the CPS administration is taking it very seriously.”
