As CBS DFW reports, when a group of sixth graders at Red Oak Middle School in Red Oak, Texas, were late to their P.E. class, the coach decided to hand out a tough physical punishment. The seven girls were told to “bear crawl” across the football field multiple times, shuffling on their hands and feet on the 90-degree turf. By the end of the exercise, the hands of all seven girls were red and blistered.
“I tried to tell her that I burned my hands but she just told me to go back in line and do them again,” one of the 11-year-old girls who underwent the punishment told Fox 4 News.
According to the school district, the injured students were taken to the nurse immediately and the school’s principal called parents to let them know what had occurred. The coach who instituted the punishment was put on temporary leave while her actions were reviewed.
“We didn’t want the girls to go home and the parents then call to ask what happened. So we told them before the girls even got home,” said Adi Walker, a spokesperson for the Red Oak Independent School District.
Despite the school’s quick response, some parents remained dissatisfied and say the punishment raised big questions about the coach’s judgment.
“Run an extra lap, run an extra two laps,” said parent Alma Gallegos in an interview with Fox 4 News. “Why would you put them on turf? You get on the turf and you let me know how it feels.”
During the school district’s investigation, two of the parents involved spoke with local police about pressing charges. Both the Red Oak police and the Ellis County District Attorney’s office looked into the incident and determined that the coach did not commit a crime.