Post Falls football players under fire for promotional photo depicting mock execution of rival Coeur d’Alene player

Several Post Falls High School football players have been suspended from school and kicked off the football team for participating in a photo that shows two students in helmets and jerseys pointing airsoft guns at the head of another player dressed as a Coeur d’Alene High School football player.

The photo, which was taken as part of a media day for the school football team, was reported on Sept. 4 on an online platform that students and parents involved with the football team had access to, Post Falls Patrol Lt. Brian Harrison said. The picture was reported to a district employee, who reported it to the Post Falls Police Department.

“As a parent of teenagers, what I wouldn’t want to see is normalizing things like what are depicted in that photo,” Harrison said. “Especially in this day and age where you see town after town popping up with school shootings or things like that. I think that there’s a danger in normalizing something like that and being totally dismissive of it saying, ‘Hey, boys will be boys.’ ”

The violent imagery shows what is supposed to be a Coeur d’Alene Vikings player kneeling on the Post Falls High School football field with his hands up, apparently in surrender, as two Post Falls players stand on either side of him aiming pistols execution-style at his head.

The school district would not say who took the photo, including whether any school empployees were involved.

Bringing a weapon, including simulated weapons, on school grounds automatically results in a one-year expulsion, according to Post Falls School District Board policy. However, the policy does allow for discretion if the school board decides the student’s presence does not pose a safety risk to other students.

In this case, the board did decide to deviate from expelling the students involved and held a private hearing with school administration, the involved students and their parents, according to the district.

On Tuesday, dozens of parents and students gathered outside the high school to protest the school’s disciplinary decision, saying that the punishment was too harsh – particularly for the senior players involved.

The current board has always acted unanimously when making disciplinary decisions, The Post Falls School Board said in a letter released ahead of the protest.

“We know the Post Falls community has questions about the recent disciplinary action taken by the board. Please know we do hear you, but by federal law, we cannot share specifics about disciplinary matters involving students,” the board wrote in the letter.

The letter also says that no school employee, including the district’s superintendent, Dena Naccarato, had any say in the disciplinary decisions made by the board.

“Post Falls district leaders have addressed the matter with their school board and continue to manage any follow-up directly. They will keep us updated as appropriate, but any response to stakeholders is being handled within their district,” Coeur d’Alene School District communications director Stefany Bales wrote in a statement.

The two schools play Oct. 17 in Coeur d’Alene.

After receiving a call from Post Falls school administration, the police department quickly had a patrol officer and a school resource officer investigate to confirm if the photo was real and if it posed a threat to anyone. The department determined that the photo was not criminal in nature and did not move forward with any criminal charges, Harrison said.

“I think anytime somebody brings something that resembles a weapon or is a weapon on to school grounds is cause for concern,” Harrison said. “If the context or the situation were different, somebody could have caught a criminal charge. There’s a difference between bringing a gun to the cafeteria and waving it around at lunchtime verses having it out at the football field.”

Bringing something that looks like a firearm to school is a terrible idea, regardless, Harrison said, and some students at Post Falls High agree.

“It’s embarrassing for our school, and that’s our reputation based on our football team,” freshman Avalynn Alberts said. “We’re very well-known, because last year we moved to state and all of that. I think it’s embarrassing and it ruins our reputation.”

Another freshman, B. Collins, called the photo embarrassing and a display of bad sportsmanship that reflects poorly on the high school, especially students who play sports for the school. Both play on the junior varsity high school soccer team.

One student, who cheers for the high school, said that while she would never have taken a photo like that, she understands why people are frustrated.

“I think the punishment was a bit extreme, but I think they (the football players) shouldn’t have done it, and it’s kind of common sense not to do that,” freshman Grace Everingham said.