This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
A judge has found the Mead School District in Eastern Washington in contempt of court for failing to properly release documents in a case involving allegations of hazing within its football program.
According to court documents reported by KREM TV, a Spokane County Superior Court Judge ruled that the district “deliberately withheld internal documents related to its failure to inform parents about years of hazing and abuse in its football program.”
In the decision reported by The Spokesman-Review, Mead said the delay in providing materials was to protect private student information.
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Mead School District accused of withholding internal documents
The case originated from an incident at a football camp hosted by Eastern Washington University in 2023. Fellow football players were said to have assaulted two Mead students.
The order required Mead to produce emails and electronic search results agreed upon by both parties. According to Judge Annette Plese, the district only produced 85 emails before a contempt motion was filed and has subsequently released thousands of emails with improper redactions. The said the district’s actions constitute “willful noncompliance.”
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School District disagreed with court’s decision
The Mead School District said it disagreed with the court’s decision.
The district’s spokesperson said it was necessary to redact sensitive student information and notify parents before disclosure. He emphasized the district had disclosed 60,000 pages and over 9,000 emails.
The lawyer representing the family suing the district stated that the contempt order should force Mead to acknowledge its failures and stop obstructing justice.
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