The San Antonio Police Department is investigating Central Catholic High School, an elite all-boys institution, after several students came forward with allegations of bullying and sexual hazing.
In April, a 15-year-old member of the varsity soccer team informed Central Catholic officials that he experienced bullying, hazing and sexual assault at the hands of other students.
Since then, four more students have come out with similar allegations, including a current student, a former student and two students from other schools who said they experienced hazing, bullying and sexual harassment at Central Catholic.
Jesse E. Guerra Jr., a personal injury lawyer and alum of Central Catholic, is representing the 15-year-old and one other student as he prepares to file suit against the school, alleging the school knew what was going on but took no action.
In a statement from the school’s board of directors and school president, Central Catholic officials said the administration “took immediate action, launched an internal investigation and implemented student discipline in accordance with the school’s Student Code of Conduct based on the evidence and facts that could be determined at the time.”
School officials said their internal investigation resulted in the expulsion of two students, one senior who will not be allowed to graduate from Central Catholic and another student in a lower grade who won’t be allowed to enroll at the school again.
Three other students received “appropriate” disciplinary actions as a result of the investigation, though the school did not specify what those actions were.
Central Catholic’s board of directors will employ a third party to conduct an independent investigation, school officials said. Meanwhile, the statement added, the administration has been working with local law enforcement as it conducts its own investigation.
SAPD is coordinating the investigation with the Round Rock Police Department, located north of Austin.
“While these law enforcement investigations remain active and ongoing, the school’s administration did not delay enforcement of the Student Code of Conduct and implemented disciplinary consequences where students were found to have violated the Code of Conduct,” school officials said.
While the investigations are underway, faculty or staff could be placed on administrative leave to maintain the integrity of the investigations, school officials said.
Anti-hazing is part of the Texas Education Code under Chapter 37, which defines “hazing” as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, occurring on or off campus by one person or a group, directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in an organization.
Such acts include any type of physical brutality, sleep deprivation, coercing someone to consume food, alcohol or drugs, or asking a student to break the law.
Under Texas’ anti-hazing law, someone can be found liable of committing a hazing offense if they have firsthand knowledge of the planning of a specific hazing incident involving a student, or have firsthand knowledge that a specific hazing incident has occurred and knowingly fails to report it in writing to the appropriate official.
To submit information related to the allegations or other incidents, families and students can use Central Catholic’s incident reporting form, contact one of the school’s counselors or contact the school’s president Jason Longoria.
Once the third-party investigator is engaged, the school will set up a reporting and contact channel, officials said.
“We want to ensure all parents and students that any reported concerns will be thoroughly reviewed and taken seriously, and that Central Catholic is committed to taking prompt and appropriate action. Further, any form of retaliation against any student who comes forward is strictly prohibited and will be addressed appropriately.”
