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School Takes Action After Girls Basketball Coach Pushes Player

(CBS) -- A popular Christ the King Prep girls basketball coach is caught on cellphone video pushing the head of one his players.

Monday, the school said it is taking action.

CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports.

In the cellphone video, basketball coach Edward Douglas yells at a student to, "sit your (expletive) down!" before using an open hand to shove her head back, lifting her chair off the ground.

Michael Airhart videotaped the incident at last Thursday's game between Christ the King and Ellison.

"Sports are supposed to be for fun. To have fun. To enjoy. Not for, to put your hands on someone else's child," he says. "No."

Published reports say Douglas is known for what he calls a "zero-tolerance-for-nonsense" approach.

He has led the Gladiators to several conference championships. In January, he spoke to Medill News Service about a big win.

Community Activist Andrew Holmes was also at Thursday's game. His granddaughter was playing for the opposing team.

He says he heard expletives used during the incident.

"You just have one individual that makes a bad name for the school, and its' the coach, not the team, because they were so hurt," Holmes says.

Douglas is no longer with the school, according to a statement from Christ the King.

"The well-being of our students is our highest priority. Once the school was made aware of the video this afternoon an internal investigation began. The coach is no longer an employee of Christ the King. We are in the process of reaching out to the student, all of her teammates and their parents," a spokesperson said.

CBS 2 was unable to reach Douglas for comment.

 

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