NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — Former student-athletes in Rhode Island who say they were forced to strip naked for “body fat tests” by their high school basketball coach are asking state education officials to intervene.
Tim Conlon, an attorney representing some of the former North Kingstown students, filed a complaint with the state Department of Education on Thursday, WPRI-TV reports.
He argued that the North Kingstown School Department and its administrators should be “held accountable” for an “utter lack of control” over ex-coach Aaron Thomas.
“The fact that this conduct would go on and unreported for years by other educators working within the school department cries out for action by RIDE,” Conlon wrote, referring to the Rhode Island Department of Education, the station reported.
Conlon also noted that the state education commissioner is authorized to withhold education funding from any city or town that violates or neglects state law.
An education department spokesperson declined to comment to WPRI-TV, citing an ongoing investigation.
U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island Zachary Cunha’s office opened an investigation into the school department last month after student-athletes filed a complaint that the high school violated students’ civil rights by allowing Thomas to disrobe athletes for “fat tests” for two decades.
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