INDIANAPOLIS (WXIN) — Following an incident at an Indiana high school, the parents of a student athlete are advocating for enhanced safety protocols after their 14-year-old daughter sustained second-degree burns during a majorette practice last week.
Having been a competitive dancer since early childhood, the freshman was eager to join the majorette team, determined not to be cut from the roster, according to her parents.
“She was loving the first few weeks of high school,” Travis Peagler said. “Now she’s not.”
When Peagler picked his daughter up from Warren Central High School earlier this month, he recalls immediately noticing her injured hands.
-
Photo provided by Travis Peagler. -
Photo provided by Travis Peagler. -
Photo provided by Travis Peagler. -
Photo provided by Travis Peagler. -
Photo provided by Travis Peagler.
“I asked, ‘How did your hands get like that?’ Her response was, ‘The coach had us doing bear crawls, but I was made to do more because I got three Fs on my report card,'” Peagler recounted.
Peagler mentioned that the team was instructed to perform bear crawls on the outdoor track, which, according to meteorologists from Nexstar’s WXIN, could have reached temperatures between 110 and 140 degrees that day, marking one of the hottest of the month.
“This isn’t about discipline. It’s child abuse,” Peagler stated. “These are young girls, not trainees for Navy SEALs or Army Rangers, whose hands even wouldn’t endure this.”
Drawing from his airborne training experience in the military, Peagler acknowledges the value of discipline in building resilience, but he believes this event ventured into peril. His daughter has been hospitalized for several days and faces an anticipated six-month recovery, with possible long-term repercussions.
“Now she’s questioning like, ‘Is this my fault? I feel bad.’ That’s what’s going through her head,” said Stacey Peagler. “So she has an emotional experience with this, too.”
Stacey Peagler said she sent photos to the coach, who, when asked to explain, told Peagler, “Other teams were doing it.”
“Then she sent a link to the parents on how to treat blisters,” Travis said.
“…Immediately after I sent the pictures to her,” Stacey added.
A spokesperson for the school district released a statement saying: “We are aware of an incident during last week’s dance team practice involving a conditioning drill on the track that resulted in several students sustaining blisters to their hands from the surface. We are taking this matter very seriously, conducting an active investigation, and remain in close contact with students and families to support their recovery. The safety and well-being of our student-athletes will always be our top priority, and we remain committed to listening to our students and families as we learn from this incident.”
The Peaglers’ attorney told WXIN he sent the district a letter of representation but hasn’t formally filed anything. Right now, the family is asking for answers, accountability and changes to prevent any more harm.
