Anadarko (Okla.) Public Schools administrators have reviewed all video footage as part of an investigation into a video involving the junior high football team
As reported by KWTV in Oklahoma City, the video appears to show a group of students carrying another student outside the school and placing the student into a trash can.
“Our students were not adequately supervised during the water break when this incident occurred,” district superintendent Danny Pittman said.
Per the reporting of KWTV's Isabel Contreras, Pittman said the school has a responsibility to provide appropriate supervision and did not meet that responsibility in this instance.
“There was inappropriate behavior by several students and that behavior will be addressed,” Pittman said. “However, these are junior high school students entrusted to our care and we cannot discuss their actions without acknowledging our responsibility as adults to properly supervise them and provide the structure and guidance they need.”
Pittman said he is expected to finish up speaking and addressing the behavior with students Monday, Contreras reported. He said there will be appropriate consequences and corrective actions for everyone involved.
“What happened that day does not accurately reflect the standards we have for our students, our coaches and staff, our school or our community, Pittman said. “The response from our community makes it clear that people expect better from us — and they should.”
According to Contreras, Pittman said the goal is not simply to determine what is wrong but to correct the failures that allowed the situation to occur, hold people accountable and make changes that reduce the likelihood of it happening again.
In a statement released Sunday morning, Pittman said the school had been made aware of the video circulating on social media, KWTV reported.
“We understand the concern this video has caused within our school community,” Pittman said.
Pittman said the actions depicted in the video do not reflect the expectations or values of the school.
“We do not condone inappropriate or unacceptable behavior by our students,” Pittman said.
“The safety, well-being and character development of our students remain priorities and we take concerns such as these seriously,” Pittman said.
