Cheltenham High School will not be playing its last football game of the year after school officials canceled the school’s football season as they widen the scope of an investigation into hazing allegations against the team.
On Sunday, Oct. 20, Cheltenham School District Superintendent Brian Scriven announced the decision in a letter to parents.
“After spending this weekend investigating the hazing allegations, it is with a deep sense of regret that I must share that the district is canceling the duration of the Cheltenham High School football season due to the need to continue and deepen our investigation,” Scriven wrote in a follow up to a letter sent to families last week.
The district announced it would suspend the team’s season on Friday, Oct. 17, due to new information that was uncovered during a hazing investigation that began several weeks before.
The investigation began after school officials got an anonymous tip that alleged the high school football team was participating in the banned practice.
And now the district is taking things a step further.
Last Friday’s game against Harry S. Truman High School was postponed and, the upcoming game set for Oct. 24, 2025, against Quakertown has been canceled.
In explaining the reasons for the cancelation, Scriven detailed allegations against “multiple team members” on the school’s football team.
He said that, about three weeks ago, officials learned of an allegation that claimed a student was assaulted in the football team’s locker room.
That incident, Scriven said, has been reported to police and a police and school district investigation is ongoing.
However, in investigating that incident, Scriven said, “information came to light indicating that hazing and/or inappropriate physical conduct may be occurring more broadly in the program.”
“Last Friday, we received additional information, including reports indicating multiple team members engaged in hazing through physical contact,” Scriven said in the letter.
However, Scriven noted that the decision to cancel the season impacts more that just those who may be part of the investigation.
“The district will also determine ways to recreate ‘Senior Night’ for the uninvolved football players and cheerleading, pep band, color guard and drumline members who did not participate in that important tradition due to the cancellation of Friday’s game,” he wrote. “We will do our very best to involve students as we develop new plans to honor our seniors.”
Scriven said that the district’s own investigation into the incident is expected to continue through the coming weeks.
He said that the incident is believed to be isolated and the district is cooperating with law enforcement officials.
Nesha Hodge, a parent of a student on the team, said that her son is devastated and the news seemed to come out of nowhere.
“We were blindsided by this,” she said. “If you had an ongoing investigation for three to four weeks, why were parents not notified? And to cancel a game and label it and call it hazing and other things. If it hasn’t been confirmed then why would you label them kids like that?”
Scriven asked anyone in the school’s community that may have information on hazing within the Cheltenham High School football team to contact the Cheltenham Township Police Department.