John Harrell, the head football coach and campus athletic coordinator at Rockwall-Heath High School in Rockwall, was placed on administrative leave after the intense workout, which took place during an eighth-period athletic class on January 6, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Several parents, who spoke to the newspaper anonymously for fear of retaliation, said their children were forced to do between 300 and 400 pushups in an hour without water breaks. One parent said her son was later hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis, a muscle disorder brought on by stress that can cause kidney damage or failure in extreme cases, per the report.
In a letter to school parents, Rockwall-Heath principal Todd Bradford said there were several students who “needed medical attention, and in some cases, hospitalization,” according to The Dallas Morning News.
“To thoroughly investigate any connection between the activities in class and student illnesses, the district is retaining an independent third party to investigate the event. The district is also taking interim action, including but not limited to, placing Coach Harrell on administrative leave while the investigation is pending and notifying appropriate outside agencies,” said the letter, which was obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
Bradford declined Insider’s request for comment, and Harrell did not respond.
“Please know the district immediately implemented measures to address the situation and provide support for our students,” the letter said, noting that district administrators had contacted the affected students and their families, per The News.
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