Damascus High School to forfeit one game after violating football practice rules
DAMASCUS, Md. (FOX 5 DC) -- Damascus High School football players are learning their fate after the school broke state and county rules. On Wednesday, returning football players met with school administrators to discuss the punishment levied against the football team.
FOX 5 learned on Tuesday that state and Montgomery County school officials determined the Damascus football program violated offseason practice rules by holding an "out-of-season practice" with coaches and players.
The result -- a one-game forfeiture for the junior varsity and the varsity football teams.
Students were allowed to ask questions during the meeting about what will happen to the season. As for the administration, FOX 5 learned the school's varsity head coach will still keep his job and no further administrative changes will occur.
This violation comes as the high school's football program is on probation after four 15-year-old boys on the junior varsity team allegedly raped a teammate with a broomstick last October.
The questions residents in Damascus want to know are: Where are the adults in the room and why does this school continue to make mistakes given the program's past transgressions?
"I think it shows a lot of arrogance and maybe the decision makers feeling like they're above the rules or the rules don't apply to them," said Diane Jones.
"Well, I just think that they should know better. They're under the microscope. They should know to be careful," said Linda Chambers.
"I just think that they are not setting a good example for the kids. There's already, you're supposed to deal with the consequences of your actions and they already had a lot of stuff going on and the consequences would have been them not being able to play these games. And so if you're going to do what you want to any way that's just not setting a good example for the kids," said DeShanea Williams.
The forfeiture will be the first game of the season for both teams.