A civil lawsuit filed in Marshall County District Court alleges that Kingston Independent School District failed to prevent a longstanding hazing tradition within its high school girls basketball program that included sexually charged conduct and sexual assault involving freshman players. The case, CJ-2026-02, was filed by Brandan and Crystal Beller, who claim a minor in their care was subjected to an alleged hazing “initiation” upon joining the Kingston High School girls basketball team. According to the lawsuit, the initiation was not an isolated incident but part of a recurring tradition that had allegedly taken place for many years.
Court documents described the hazing as a sexually charged event in which freshman female basketball players were allegedly assaulted as part of theirinductionontotheteam. The complaint states that participation was expected and that younger players felt pressured to comply in order to be accepted by teammates and avoid retaliation or exclusion.
The lawsuit further alleges that Kingston ISD had actual knowledge of the hazing tradition, either through prior complaints, reports or its widespread reputation among students and staff, yet failed to take action to stop the practice. According to the filing, the district’s alleged inaction allowed the behavior to continue unchecked, placing students at risk.
The Bellers claim the district’s failure to intervene constituted negligence and a violation of the students’ rights to a safe educational environment. The lawsuit seeks damages and calls for accountability measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
As of press time, Kingston Independent School District had not publicly responded to the allegations outlined in the lawsuit. No criminal charges were referenced in the civil filing, and the allegations have not yet been adjudicatedincourt.Thecase remains pending.