What did the Mead HS football players do? Incident revisited after students protest by walking out

An incident of hazing involving Mead HS football players is back in the news and after a walk-out on Monday, the situation warrants revisiting. It was reported that upperclassmen on the football team targeted younger students with hazing during a summer training camp at Eastern Washington University in Jun. 2023.

An Eastern Washington University police report detailed how Mead HS football players held down two of their teammates, whom they sexually assaulted with a massage gun. An internal investigation was conducted into the incident and the report revealed that coaches had knowledge of videos posted on social media in which the incident was shown from varying angles.

Further investigations into the incident, which was reported to the police eight months later, were carried out by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. Although the Sheriff’s Office had probable grounds to charge four Mead HS football players with fourth-degree assault, they never did.

Instead, they were presented with the option of entering a diversion program, among other conditions, which they agreed to. However, some students at Mead HS are unhappy with the situation.

Students walk out over assault incident by Mead HS football players

On Monday, students of Mead HS, Washington staged a peaceful walk-out protest regarding the above incident. They used the protest as a way of registering their displeasure to the Mead School District on how the perpetrators of the act were treated.

The students, numbering dozens, want those responsible for the incident to be held responsible with further repercussions. A student who took part in the walk-out told KREM 2 that they disagreed with the decision to allow the perpetrators back in school among other students:

“It’s putting all these students at risk, and making us all feel uncomfortable. It’s making it hard to come to school.”

The district acknowledged the students’ right to peaceful protest and promised to look into the issues raised in conjunction with important stakeholders. A statement released by the district said:

“As we navigate these challenging and complex issues, we will continue to work with students, families, and staff to create a path forward with a continued focus on our core values.”

Reports of assault among teammates are not something new in student athletics. Recall that a hazing scandal rocked Northwestern University's football program last year, resulting in the firing of the head coach.