The Tamaqua Area School Board approved a settlement agreement for a lawsuit stemming from alleged sexual assaults in a 2021 “hazing” incident at the district’s field house.

The board voted 5-2 to approve the agreement with Board President Larry Wittig and Board Vice President Nicholas Boyle voting no. Board members Mark Rother and Trina Schellhammer were absent.

Board members did not discuss the matter during a meeting Tuesday and offered no comments after the meeting. Superintendent Ray Kinder said school officials could not discuss the matter.

The Times News has requested the agreement through the state’s Right to Know Law.

The families of two freshman football players sued the district in federal court following an alleged sexual assault by members of the football team in November 2021.

The 45-page lawsuit claimed the football team had a “tradition” of sexually assaulting “certain freshman players by holding them down on the ground, beating them up,” and attempting penetration with an object.

Wittig had referred to the incident as “hazing” and “horseplay.”

The incidents reportedly occurred in the district’s field house at 329 Orwigsburg St., which is across the street from the high school/middle school.

Players store equipment and change for practices and games in the building. Players were unsupervised in the building.

An 18-year-old player, Zachary McGlinchey, was charged with simple assault and harassment. He was admitted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program.

Two juveniles faced summary harassment charges. Three students were expelled.