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Atlanta Public Schools have launched an investigation into the football coaching staff at Benjamin E. Mays High School. According to Atlanta News First, the investigation follows footage of a coach “physically assaulting a player during a game.”
According to Atlanta News First, the initial incident regarding the alleged assault of a student-athlete by the football coach occurred on Saturday. The incident reportedly happened during the first quarter of the Mays High School v. Douglas County football game at Midtown High School in Atlanta.
The outlet reports that before the incident, the coach was seen “yelling at the player.” Then, in the footage, the coach is seen punching the player, who “appears to be in visible pain and doubles over.” According to TMZ, the student-athlete has been identified as Max Preps.
According to the outlet, the coach was identified as Carl Sledg, and he was removed from the sidelines by police and taken into custody.
A spokesperson shared a statement with the outlet regarding the incident, the coach’s detainment, and his subsequent charges.
“A lay coach for Mays High School, who is not a classroom instructor, is in police custody after an incident that occurred on the sideline during the school’s game this afternoon against Douglas County High School. The lay coach will be charged with simple battery and face administrative charges from the district.”
According to WSBTV, Sledg is a volunteer coach and has been “removed from his coaching duties.”
According to Atlanta News First, the incident prompted immediate “safety concerns for parents.” Additionally, a second incident involving a Benjamin E. Mays High School football coach has also exacerbated concerns.
The outlet reports that Atlanta Public School officials are now “looking into” a photo that shows a football coach “standing on players’ knees as they perform wall sits.” Officials allege that the photo was taken during “summer conditioning.”
According to the outlet, Atlanta Public Schools have released a statement regarding the incident and subsequent investigation into the coaches’ “conduct.”
“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. 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.”
The Atlanta Public Schools’ Board Chair, Eshe’ Collins, also shared a statement with the outlet regarding the investigation.
“I just want parents to be assured we’re taking every step and every precaution to make sure our students and they themselves are safe.”
Meanwhile, Parthena Stokes, a parent of a student on the football team, has told Atlanta News First that Benjamin E. Mays’ football coaches have a “pattern” of “verbal and physical abuse” on their athletes. Additionally, Stokes alleges that the coaches retaliate against students if their behavior is reported.
“They work the kids to death, they practice them to death,” Stokes told the outlet. “
I want to make sure they have done background checks on all the coaches.”
