Football Player Lawsuit Dismissed Against ZHS

The two Zanesville High School families that filed a lawsuit on behalf of their suspended children to be allowed to play football has been withdrawn from U.S. District Court in Columbus. Zanesville City School Superintendent Terry Martin says late Wednesday he received a notification from the court explaining that the case was being dropped. The Howard and Mainini families filed a suit earlier this month in Muskingum County Common Pleas Court to have their son’s suspensions lifted. The boys were suspended after a July 15th party at the Howard Home on Taylor Street where school officials said there was alcohol consumption and a player – Grant Hickman – was found dead the following morning. When visiting Judge Linton Lewis ruled the boy’s suspensions should be lifted the case ended up in U.S. District Court where Judge James Graham initially ruled the boys could also play. The case was then scheduled to be heard September 26th – but now that a notice of dismissal has been filed the case is over. Superintendent Martin says he is glad the case is over and it is time to move forward as a school district and a football team and to start the healing process.