Schools

Howard High JV Football Program Suspended After Bullying Incident Reported

The JV football program at Howard High School has been suspended after school leaders and police received reports of bullying and assault.

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — A student's mother is speaking out about an incident where her son was allegedly bullied by members of the Howard High School junior varsity football team.

April Bridges told WMAR that students are unsupervised for an hour after school before football practice. The incident involving her son, who is also on the football team, happened Sept. 25.

In video footage provided to WMAR, football players can be seen picking up her son and trying to shove him into the toilet. He had been beaten up to the extent that he was taken to the hospital, Bridges said.

Find out what's happening in Columbiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

“He’s been beaten, battered, kidnapped, assaulted, sexually assaulted, false imprisonment, robbed,” Bridges told WMAR. “I would like charges pressed to the full extent of what occurred to my child."

Howard High School Principal Allen Cosentino emailed families on Monday, telling them that the junior varsity football program has been suspended in light of what happened, but no details could be provided because all students involved are minors.

Find out what's happening in Columbiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Read more at WMAR

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.