Willis High School football players were caught administering post-game spankings with their belts to Cleveland High School players following a crushing 77-0 victory—a scenario described by one onlooker, "That’s just shady and there’s no point in doing that. It’s just very childish for them to do that." The action partook in a viral online challenge known as the BTA—short for "belt to a--," a detail that's only added to the consternation and disbelief expressed by spectators and the wider community, according to KHOU 11 News.
This incident, caught on video, escalated rapidly on social media and prompted official statements from both school districts involved, Willis High bemoaned the unsportsmanlike conduct and voiced a strong commitment to ensuring it does not happen again, as in a statement obtained by the Houston Chronicle, meanwhile, Cleveland ISD expressed grievance and revealed that Superintendent McCanless had already contacted Willis ISD to voice concerns and filed complaints with governing bodies UIL and DEC, clearly not finding a shred of humor in the situation.
Consequences for the Willis players have been put in motion; they've been suspended for the first half of their next game, assigned to complete community service, and enforced through corrective measures at football practices, Willis ISD wants its deep regrets known to the Cleveland ISD community which appears to be a unified stance that they do not condone this behavior, a sentiment echoed across both districts seeking to prevent such future conduct.
Nevertheless, for some like Mary Almaguer, the mother of a Cleveland High School student, who told KHOU 11 News, the disciplinary actions feel insufficient, suggesting that "I think more than just half of a game suspension, maybe the rest of the season, some counseling."
