The civil lawsuit stemming from a series of hazing incidents in the Mead School District’s football program will go to trial this week, as a Spokane County jury prepares to assess the financial penalties the district may face.
Allegations of Hazing and Racial Targeting
According to the plaintiffs, white upperclassmen singled out three younger Black teammates during a summer football camp, subjecting them to assaults that included being pinned down and struck with a massage gun while peers recorded the attacks on cellphone video.
One of the victims and his family have demanded $50 million in damages, alleging that the district not only failed to intervene but also attempted to conceal the racial motive behind the abuse, a claim bolstered by a court ruling that found the district liable for racial discrimination in at least one of the cases.
The district’s spokesman, Todd Zeidler, has dismissed the allegations as defamatory, arguing that they paint an inaccurate picture of the school’s response and that the matter has been mischaracterized in public discourse.
Marcus Sweetser, an attorney representing the players, contends that district officials edited out references to racial targeting in internal reports, a accusation that has intensified scrutiny of the district’s handling of the complaints.
Two of the four Black athletes who filed suit have already settled with the district, but the remaining plaintiffs hope the upcoming trial will deliver a broader accountability that extends beyond monetary compensation.