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District releases findings in hazing investigation at Timber Creek High School

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Parents of seven Timber Creek High School cross-country runners accused of hazing a teammate are upset that a coach has returned to campus while the students remain suspended for the school year.

In a statement, parents said the students poked a teammate’s rear end with a stick after an off-campus pasta dinner at a parent’s house as part of a team initiation ritual.

According to several student statements, freshman members of the team were called away from the house after eating dinner.

All the students’ names were redacted from the report.

In their explanation for the suspensions, school officials found that members of the team hazed or initiated freshman teammates by pushing, knocking and holding down a student before sticking the stick up his rear.

Another was able to wrestle the stick away and was not initiated.

In September, Orange County Public Schools launched an investigation into the hazing allegations and accusations that head coach David Gardner knew about the alleged hazing and failed to report it.

The school district on Friday afternoon released the investigation’s results, which cleared Gardner of any wrongdoing.

Because of the hazing allegations, the school suspended the students who attended the dinner and banned them from returning to campus for the remainder of the school year.

The parents argue the punishment is too harsh, and they fear the students are missing out on scholarship opportunities.

“This has been something that's been going on for years,” said a parent, who asked to not be identified.

The parents plan to appeal the punishment before the school board next month.