What did Carl Sledge do? Video shows Benjamin Mays High School coach assault player

On Monday, August 28, a spokesperson for Atlanta Public Schools announced that Benjamin Mays High School coach Carl Sledge had been arrested for allegedly punching a student-athlete. In footage of the incident, Sledge can be seen punching a teenage boy in the middle of a game with another school. The coach, who was reportedly a volunteer, has been charged with battery.

Trigger warning: This article concerns an assault on a minor, the reader's discretion is advised

As reported by the Law and Crime Network, 48-year-old Carl Sledge is a truck driver who often helps coach the Benjamin Mays High School team. The school announced that, due to the allegations, they would no longer associate with him. However, they clarified that he was never a teacher or official employee of the school.

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The alleged assault on a Benjamin Mays High School

student

According to Atlanta News First, the incident occurred at Eddie S. Henderson Stadium in Atlanta's Midtown High School. A Peachtree TV camera captured Sledge shouting at a Benjamin Mays High School student before he appeared to punch the boy in the stomach. Authorities noted that following the incident, the volunteer coach was promptly removed from the game.

In a statement acknowledging the incident, Atlanta Public Schools noted that this is not the first time the coaches have been accused of an offense. They claimed that photographic evidence indicates that they may have abused their position in other ways as well.

The statement read:

"The Atlanta Public Schools Office of Employee Relations and APS Police have launched investigations into conduct by coaches of the Benjamin E. Mays High School football team, after a photo surfaced that appears to show a coach standing on the knees of players as they perform “wall sits.” The photo was apparently taken during summer conditioning.

It continued,

"Mays High School and APS take such matters seriously, as the safety and well-being of all APS students remains a high priority for the district, and all APS employees are held to the highest standard of conduct and professionalism."

One parent, Parthena Stokes, claimed that abusive behavior was routine among the coaches at Benjamin Mays High School. In an interview with Atlanta News First, Stokes said that coaches often shout at the students. When the teenagers attempt to speak out, they are apparently punished even further.

In the interview, Stokes added that the coaches at Benjamin Mays High School have a high turnover rate. As a result, it is difficult to hold anyone accountable. According to Law & Crime, several parents have complained about the behavior of the volunteer coaches. As a result, they have demanded that the Atlanta Public Schools district conduct more rigorous background checks.