Beloit, Kansas football player pleads guilty to hazing
By Melody Pettit
Excerpt from KSCW TV News
Two football players in north-central Kansas accused of hazing another student and Wednesday, one pleads guilty to charges of battery, assault, criminal restraint and theft.
The investigation involves students at Beloit Junior-Senior High School, after an incident last month that sent one student to the hospital.
It’s a school of 350 students. It’s a school that loves football. In fact the Beloit Trojans are ranked in the top ten among 3A teams in Kansas. That’s why this latest news is hard to take for some in Beloit.
“This publicity is unjust. Overall we have a great community, great schools, and great teachers,” said Marne Hewitt who has a son on the football team at Beloit High.
The Trojans starting defensive lineman and senior, Joe Studer pleaded guilty this week…of an August 21st hazing incident. Studer applied muscle relaxant gel, similar to icy hot, to the body of a 14-year old freshman teammate in the locker room after football practice, sending the freshman to the hospital.
Police are investigating whether a second senior was involved.
“It was an isolated incident with just a few kids involved.” said Principal Daryl Moore.
It’s principal Moore’s first year at Beloit High School. He says however you define what happened, whether as bullying, hazing or initiation, it’s not acceptable. He’s already making changes. Full story.
Filed under: Hazing, Lawsuits/Criminal Charges, School Violence