Four Elk River High School football players will be kicked off the varsity team for this season for their roles in hazing incidents early last week, the Elk River school board ruled at a special meeting Sunday night.
Three other players will be suspended for four games, and another two will have to sit out one game, according to the district's superintendent. There are about 50 players on the varsity squad.
After meeting for nearly two hours in closed session, board members decided to briefly open their meeting to take action against the players. The board later voted to reinstate seven coaches from paid administrative leave and to keep five other coaches on leave pending final outcome of the district's investigation this week.
The hazing involved players striking or poking other players on or near the buttocks in the high school wrestling room.
"These are good kids, and they made a mistake," Superintendent Mark Bezek said after the board acted. "But it's a serious mistake."
The football team will also have to undergo sensitivity training in an effort to prevent future incidents, Bezek said.
Privacy laws prevented the school board or Bezek from naming the players who were disciplined. The superintendent said he did not know how important the disciplined players are to the team, which will resume practice Monday.
"The reaction by the school board was appropriate," Bezek said. "I'm very pleased with the outcome of the investigation conducted by the staff. Staff had the information needed to deal with this."
