Sayreville High coaches suspended

ByABC News
October 18, 2014, 8:56 PM

— -- The football coaches at Sayreville War Memorial High School in New Jersey, who also teach in the school district, have been suspended from their teaching and coaching positions, according to multiple reports.

The Sayreville football team, a regional football power, has been caught in a whirlwind of negative publicity following a string of sexual hazing incidents last month.

One source told NJ.com that five tenured teachers, including head coach George Najjar, were suspended with pay. Authorities have not charged any adults in connection with the hazing allegations. New Jersey law prevents district employees who have not been indicted with criminal charges from being suspended without pay.

According to NJ.com, some of the football coaches who were suspended are substitute teachers.

Seven Sayreville players were charged last week for their alleged involvement in the hazing incidents. Three of those players were charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, conspiracy to commit aggravated criminal sexual contact, criminal restraint, and hazing for engaging in an act of sexual penetration upon one of the juvenile victims. All seven of the players have been suspended from school.

The school board is expected to hold a vote related to the coaches' suspensions Tuesday, according to multiple reports.