Monroe-Woodbury school officials are promising new programs to prevent bullying following allegations that led to the cancellation of the high school's junior varsity football season.

Because of the allegations among athletes on the Monroe-Woodbury High School junior varsity football team, school officials chose to forfeit the last two games of the current season.

Few details of the bullying have been made public, but school officials say it was verbal abuse and not physical abuse.

A former football player who graduated last year says he never saw any bullying during his time on the team, but he says the response was understandable.

"They messed up," says Michael Gavin. "It's a team, so the whole team gets punished if someone messes up."

Interim School Superintendent Elsie Rodriguez wrote to parents in the district, explaining the decision to cancel the rest of the season. Rodriguez says taking a stand was the right thing to do.

She also said that the investigation into the alleged bullying is continuing and that she will keep parents informed of what it turns up. She is promising character-building programs to prevent a repeat situation.

There's no word yet from school officials as to what disciplinary action may be taken against the individuals involved in the bullying allegations.