Note to readers: This story references ongoing investigations concerning a former Woodville ISD faculty member. No formal charges have been issued, so no name is used.
WOODVILLE – A pre-athletics class incident that resulted in injuries at Woodville Middle School is the subject of multiple investigations, according to reports
Last Monday, a group of sixth-graders in the WMS pre-athletics class engaged in a bear crawl exercise on the track, which is allegedly a challenge inspired by a TikTok video, and given as a choice by a coach of that or a regular workout.
According to Woodville Chief of Police Mike McCulley, about 15 students were involved, with some families not wanting to pursue a complaint. Those students sustained burns on their hands, with at least one reportedly suffering first-degree burns.
A statement from Woodville ISD, from superintendent Lisa Meysembourg, confirmed that the district is conducting a full internal review, in cooperation with Woodville PD, and on Wednesday, a state agency began an investigation as to whether or not the incident was abusive or neglectful.
The Department of Family and Protective Services began its investigation, according to reports. The results of this investigation will be turned over to WISD and to the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
The report submitted to the state agency was required under statute when child welfare concerns arise.
According to WISD, the faculty member who gave the challenge to the students was “removed from campus and will not be returning to the district.”
Allegedly, the coach told some of the students that the exercise would “toughen them up.”
From what some parents have shared, both to social media and to the Booster, the exercise challenge consisted of a 100-yard bear crawl on the hot track surface, but if the students fell, or if their knees touched the ground, they would have to start the exercise over.
One parent who spoke to the Booster, John Bednarik, said his son’s hands were blistered to the point that the school nurse had to bandage his hands.
McCulley said that his agency began receiving complaints late on Monday afternoon, after the incident occurred, and a Woodville PD officer was dispatched to Tyler County Hospital to meet with some of the parents of children who were being treated for the burns to their hands.
McCulley said last Tuesday that his agency is gathering information in its investigation, and that once all the facts are gathered, information will be forwarded to the office of Lucas Babin, Tyler County District Attorney.
McCulley also made note of the uproar that the incident has caused on social media, as news outlets reported it, to a large public outcry.
“It is very important that these types of cases are not tried in the court of public opinion – i.e., social media – but rather in the courts as intended,” he said in a statement.
