Former Eisenhower Basketball Coach Charged with Hazing After Locker Room Incident

Craig Bernard Foster Jr., the former head basketball coach at Eisenhower High School, was charged Friday with misdemeanor hazing in Comanche County District Court. The charge follows an August 21 incident in which a 14-year-old boy was restrained by juvenile players, had his clothes removed, and was held against a trash can in the locker room, according to a court affidavit. The boy sustained scratches and bruising, and video of the incident later circulated on social media.

Foster denied directing the players to assault or injure the boy, but he acknowledged in the affidavit that the players were engaged in what they called“horse play”and that he could have stopped it. He is quoted as saying,“He could have stopped it right there.”Foster pleaded not guilty and is free on a $1,000 own recognizance bond with an order of no contact with the victim. He and his brother, assistant coach Tevin Foster, both resigned Thursday. The students involved received discipline through the school district.

Lawton Public Schools Superintendent Neal Weaver called the conduct on the video disturbing, unacceptable, and inconsistent with district standards. The case raises broader questions for families across Lawton about hazing, bullying, and how much responsibility falls on the adults in the room. What do you think schools and coaches should be doing differently to prevent incidents like this?