A Ringling High School football coach has been placed on administrative leave pending the OSBI investigation after accusations of him bullying his athletes.
One of the students says he made the team work out naked as punishment.
Parents confronted the school board during a meeting on Monday night.
They say the district puts winning football games over student safety.
School records show Philip Koons is the Ringling High School football coach and principal.
Multiple athletes are now speaking out against him.
"I have become numb to it," one athlete said. "It has become normalized with us because of how often it happens. The verbal abuse and constant cussing."
The athlete says Koons made them exercise naked as punishment.
"We did so many that day," the athlete said. "It went to the extent that some of the guys were talking about having turf burn on their genitals the next day."
Parents say they understand teens need discipline but say Koons has crossed the line.
"It is disturbing coming from someone that is supposed to be our principal and our head football coach," the athlete said.
We reached out to Ringling Public Schools, Koons, and OSBI for comment but didn't hear back.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters issued this statement:
Phil Koons of Ringling Public Schools has officially been put on paid administrative leave while an ongoing criminal investigation about the allegations and concerns brought against him is completed. We will continue to monitor the investigation as we have since the beginning, and support Superintendent Kent Southward’s decision.
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