The Cheltenham High football team may not play in 2026 after an external investigation into a locker room assault last fall exposed hazing and a toxic culture, writes Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Of almost 20 people who witnessed the assault, no one attempted to stop it “and several participated freely in it,” said Superintendent Brian Scriven. “Several students also filmed the assault.”
The September 3 incident led to the season being canceled in October and sparked a hazing investigation, with the results released last week. No new details about the assault were provided.
Scriven noted that, although the investigation did not fully substantiate a hazing pattern, it found other serious issues, including poor supervision in the locker room, “a failure to prioritize student safety by the coaching staff and/or adult volunteers,” no training against bullying or hazing for team members, and “a toxic and negative culture within the current football program.”
He also said that while the program is expected to rebuild eventually, it is not guaranteed that the district will field a team in 2026.
Read more about Cheltenham High football in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
