We’ve all turned up late to class during our school days. Most of us have even cut class altogether at some point or another. While late slips are nothing new, one teacher in Red Oak, Texas, wasn’t playing around and left a group of students who showed up after the bell with blistered and burned hands.
The girls, all students at Red Oak Middle School, arrived late to their P.E. class and instead of simply receiving a scolding or detention, were subjected to a harsh physical punishment. They were made to “bear crawl” across the football field multiple times, forced to shuffle their hands and feet across the turf. When one of the girls, 11, showed the teacher the blistering and burns forming on her palms, the teacher just told her to return to the end of the line and start again.
After the punishment ended, the girls were immediately taken to the nurse and the school principal was alerted. Parents were notified, and the P.E. teacher was placed on temporary leave while an investigation was launched.
While parents expressed their concern and anger, a school district attorney investigated and ultimately decided that the coach did not commit any crime.