1-year cheerleading ban given in Morton Ranch hazing

An investigation into allegations of hazing of cheerleaders at Morton Ranch High School has led to the suspension of all varsity cheerleading activity at the campus for the rest of the school year.

Katy school officials took the action based on information gathered in the inquiry into the incident involving about two dozen cheerleaders, school district spokesman Steve Stanford said in a written statement Friday.

The investigation began July 25 when a parent of a junior varsity cheerleader complained to the school's principal on the same day the hazing allegedly occurred, school officials said.

Stanford said administrators were told the school's varsity squad "kidnapped" junior varsity members from their homes, blindfolded them, bound their hands and mouths with duct tape and tossed them into a swimming pool.

Parents of the cheerleaders were informed of the decision in a letter via certified mail Friday. It's not clear whether the juniors on the varsity squad will be eligible to compete for the team next year.

No charges have been filed in connection with the investigation, Harris County Assistant District Attorney Donna Hawkins said Friday.

Hawkins said the case will be presented to a grand jury.

Keith and Pamela Davis, whose daughter is a 12th-grade varsity cheerleader, said they were upset when they received the news.

"The coach was supposed to be there with those girls that morning, and she did not show up," Keith Davis said.

Campus principal Joe Cammarata and school officials had no prior knowledge about the events that particular morning, Stanford said last month.

Davis said he finds it hard to believe that school administrators did not know of the mock kidnapping in advance.

The cheerleading coaches distribute a monthly calendar with workout routines and activities that are planned, Davis said.

"The sleepover and the kidnapping of junior varsity girls was on that schedule," Davis said.

Lisa MacIntyre, also a parent of a varsity cheerleader, said after the investigation was launched in July that she didn't know why the cheerleaders veered from the annual tradition and decided to go to a teammate's house for a swim.

Morton Ranch has about 3,000 students.

eric.hanson@chron.com

helen.eriksen@chron.com