Parents upset after children forced to 'Bear Crawl' on hot turf

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A mother in Ellis County, Texas claims her daughter came home from school with burns on her hands.

Now there’s an open investigation into the in-school punishment that may have been taken too far.

A Red Oak middle schooler and six classmates were late to class yesterday afternoon. So the coach punished them.

A mother says she agrees, her daughter should have been punished, but she didn’t deserve a trip to the emergency room.

Alma Gallegos says discipline by the 11-year-old’s coach, raised a red flag. Her daughter, and six others, were forced to ‘bear crawl’ for being late.

Bare hands on hot turf, around 90 degrees, the sixth graders say from the end zone to the field goal- and back six times.  

Gallegos said that by the end of the punishment, all seven girls were in pain, with red blistery hands.

“Run an extra lap, run an extra two laps,” said Gallegos. “Why would you put them on turf? You get on the turf and you let me know how it feels.”

Red Oak says it’s investigating the incident, learning of it late Friday afternoon.

A spokesperson says the administration called each students parent’s immediately.

Gallegos says it was the principal who realized exactly what the girls went through.

After a trip to the ER and a lot of ointment, the 11-year-old’s blisters are getting better.

But Gallego’s says the situation hasn’t because of the coach.

“I’ve gotten apologies from everyone else but her and an explanation as to why she did it,” she said.

When it comes to punishing middle schooler’s on the turf, all she cares about is safety.