CANTON, Ohio (WOIO) - Records show the former McKinley High School football player, allegedly forced to violate the tenets of his religion by eating pork, filed a lawsuit Wednesday in U.S. District Courts against the Canton City School District.

The lawsuit claims that seven coaches punished the former student for missing a weight-lifting session by forcing him to eat a pepperoni pizza in May 2021.

The teen and his family are Hebrew Israelite and keep kosher, meaning they don’t eat pork.

Defendants named in the lawsuit include the Canton City School District and Canton City School District Board of Education as well as former coaches Marcus Wattley, Frank McLeod, Zachary Sweat, Romero Harris, Cade Brodie, Tyler Thatcher and Josh Grimsley.

The former student and his parents are seeking injunctive relief and damages from the defendants, according to the lawsuit.

Ed Gilbert, the attorney representing the family, shared a press release with 19 News that said, in part:

“On May 24th, 2021, a star football player for the Canton McKinley Bulldogs was subject to a horrible incident of being forced to eat the residue of a pork pepperoni pizza in violation of his religious beliefs. The penalty for refusing to eat the pizza was possible removal from the football team. All coaches involved have been terminated from the Canton School District. The central facts in this case are undisputed. The family has been in intense settlement discussions with the Canton School District. These...

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