Outrage as school children ‘forced to do 400 push-ups’ in PE class | World | News
Angry families took legal action against the school, claiming that approximately 20 students were “tortured” by doing 300 to 420 push-ups in class and suffered life-threatening injuries. A lawsuit filed in Texas, USA, alleges that the head football coach at Texas Leadership Charter Academy (TLCA) in San Angelo ordered a class to “perform continuous, whistling push-ups for the entire class period, for approximately 45 minutes or more, without water, rest or breaks.”
The filing goes on to claim that approximately 80 students participated in grueling physical training and that five coaches walked among them and “rebuked any child who showed signs of fatigue.” Legal documents claim that the next day, students were unable to lift their arms to eat, brush their teeth or even dress themselves.
The punishing exercise routine continued for two more days, according to Atlanta News First.
The news site reported The lawsuit stated: “This case is about adults torturing children. When the kids collapsed, the coaches ordered them to get up and continue.”
“When the kids screamed in pain, the coaches made fun of them for being weak. When the kids begged to stop, the coaches blew their whistles and demanded more. The gym doors were closed. The kids were trapped. And not a single adult in that building lifted a finger to help them.”
The extreme exercise regime reportedly began on 25 February, after which 20 children were treated in hospital between 27 February and 2 March. It is not clear what the age range of the young people in question is.
Lawyers for the families said many were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a serious, potentially life-threatening syndrome caused by rapid skeletal muscle breakdown. Damaged muscle tissue releases proteins into the bloodstream that can cause kidney and organ damage, the lawsuit said.
Curtis Milbourn, TLCA school’s director of compliance, said school officials said: “Due to ongoing litigation as well as HIPAA, FERPA and employment law considerations, we are unable to comment on the specifics of the allegations.
“The safety, health, and education of our students remain our top priority, as evidenced by our timely response to the underlying situation. We are committed to providing a safe environment where students can grow, learn, and succeed.”
According to the NHS, children should exercise safely and seek medical advice about exercise if they have a health condition. The health agency also recommends that children get exercise appropriate to their age, ability and experience, and that they start new exercises slowly and increase gradually.
