Six Elk River coaches disciplined in hazing

The Elk River school board voted unanimously to discipline six football coaches Tuesday night, but assured a crowd of more than 100 parents and boosters that the coaches will be on the field for Friday night's game against Rogers High School.

The audience, many of whom wore Elk River Elks colors, broke into relieved applause.

Citing data practices rules, the board did not release or discuss the particulars of the discipline or the rationale behind it. Superintendent Mark Bezek also would not confirm whether or not the disciplinary action already has been completed. The board's action will not affect discipline against nine student athletes.

The votes stemmed from hazing incidents that occurred between practices on Aug 23 and 24, when some players allegedly wrestled their teammates to the floor of the high school wrestling room, then struck or poked them with broom handles on or near the buttocks. The players were wearing their football gear and were not forced to disrobe.

Once school officials found out about the incidents, varsity practice was suspended for five days and the team's 12 coaches were placed on paid administrative leave pending the district investigation. Seven of those coaches were reinstated within a week, but five remained on administrative leave: head coach Mike Cross, plus John Pink, Brad Olson, Mark Leland and Rick Michalak.

In addition, a sixth coach, Mike Breyen, was disciplined on Tuesday.

School board members also received the results of an independent investigation, conducted by the Minneapolis law firm Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney. That information was not made available to the media or to the school community, in whole or in summary, and likely will remain private, at least during the 30-day grievance period granted to the five coaches who also are school employees.

The district employees all were present for the first day of school Tuesday, Bezek said.

Four varsity players were kicked off the team for the season. Three other players have been suspended for four games, and another two had to sit out one game, according to the district's superintendent. There are about 50 players on the varsity squad.

None of the parents or students at the meeting Tuesday would talk on the record about the ordeal. But several expressed frustration with a process that they felt was closed, and did not give their students -- or their parents -- a chance to plead their cases.

Bezek said after the meeting that he expects the conversation to continue as families process what happened. He added, however, that he does not expect families to fully understand the board's action without access to the investigation, and that he understands their frustration.

"I'd like to say more, but I can't, to protect our kids and to protect our employees,'" he said.

He told those gathered that he hopes the new school year will mean a new beginning for everyone.

"I am convinced the board took the right action, and made the right decisions," he said. "Now we turn our collective attention to how we as a school district and a community, a school, move forward. This team, this school and its students need to move forward."