In a troubling incident, several high school football players from Reedsburg, Wisconsin, have faced legal ramifications for their misconduct towards the Amish community. According to Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister, nine juveniles were cited for disorderly conduct after reports of harassment surfaced.
Meister explained that deputies increased patrols in rural Reedsburg due to multiple complaints about troubling behavior towards Amish residents. “We made contact with a suspect vehicle,” he noted, which led to the citations. Each citation carries a forfeiture of $213.10, as reported by local news outlet KWOW.
Some of those cited are reported to be members of the Reedsburg Area High School football team, though specific numbers were not disclosed. This incident comes shortly after the school announced the cancellation of its first two varsity games, a decision linked to an ongoing investigation into the players’ behavior, particularly an event that occurred on August 11.
The school has remained tight-lipped about the investigation, referring to it as a “matter in the community” and noting that the football team now lacks sufficient players. They cited confidentiality concerns, limiting the information that could be shared publicly.
On social media, there have been claims that these students vandalized property belonging to the Amish community, including a school and a barn. Many users have called for harsher penalties, suggesting hate crime charges and a season-long football ban for those involved.
Reedsburg Area High School principal Katie Mathews expressed her sadness over the situation in a statement to Wisconsin Public Radio. She emphasized that while this is a painful learning experience, the school’s commitment to maintaining integrity and serving as a positive educational institution remains paramount.