VANCOUVER, Wash. Students at Fort Vancouver High School walked out Thursday afternoon after school officials confirmed allegations of inappropriate behavior involving members of the varsity football team, KATU reported.
The walkout came hours after Principal Luis A. Castro-Quintanilla disclosed the allegations in a message to families and staff Thursday morning, and two days after he announced the cancellation of the remaining varsity football games, according to KATU.
In his message, the principal said the school learned of the allegations last week, immediately reported them to law enforcement, began an internal investigation and put safety measures in place to protect those who reported the incident. As more information emerged, officials determined that bringing in an independent, outside investigator would be the best way to establish what happened, the extent of any misconduct and what steps to take next, KATU reported.
Tuesday's announcement had attributed the canceled games to player injuries and limited player availability, saying the team no longer had enough players to safely compete at the varsity level. Thursday's update reiterated that explanation, noting officials were still in the early stages of working with law enforcement when the earlier message went out. The school had said it hoped to continue playing the remaining junior varsity games and allow remaining varsity players to participate.
School officials did not describe the alleged behavior or identify the students involved, citing privacy laws and the ongoing investigation, according to KATU. In his letter, Castro-Quintanilla said the school is committed to a thorough and fair process and will take all appropriate next steps based on the findings, adding that student safety and well-being remain the school's highest priority.