Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Update 2: Videotaped Beating Of A Gay Student

More news on that story of the gay student and the videotaped beating he endured at the hands of a school bully. See original posts HERE and HERE.
While there are potential criminal charges that could be pending against the attacker, the Unioto High School administrators have reviewed their initial disciplinary measures--they suspended the attacker for a mere three days--after seeing new information revealed in the cellphone video.
Principal Jim Osborne said the discipline would have been reviewed sooner, but the mother of the student, who was seen violently attacking another student for being gay, had taken her son out of town because of the media attention. Or, maybe because she was trying to hide her son from authorities.
“The discipline has been revisited," said Osborne, "based on the ongoing investigation and in light of the new evidence.” But the altered disciplinary actions were not released by the district, citing student privacy concerns. Or, maybe to protect the school for not protecting a student.
Osborne did confirm the student who filmed the fight with her cell phone--who was allegedly the cousin of the attacker--was also disciplined, and has yet to return to school at the decision of her mother. See, when you shine the light on bullies and their videotaping allies, their scurry into the dark like rats.
Ross County Prosecutor Matt Schmidt has asked the sheriff’s office to investigate further and get medical records for the victim if they exist. “Because of all the stuff that has come to light, I’ve asked for more information,” Schmidt said.
Sheriff George Lavender said his deputy went to Unioto to conduct additional interviews and was checking to see if the victim had been sent for medical attention because the initial report indicated there had been some visible injuries, but they appeared to be minor. The gay student sustained a knot behind his ear, a black eye, a chipped tooth and a possible concussion.
The extent of the injury and the medical records are needed for Schmidt to determine if the assault meets the criteria to be considered a felony. His office is waiting on charging the juvenile until the additional investigation is completed because, if a lesser charge is filed, and then additional evidence comes to light later, that shows that a higher-degree charge could have been pursued, Schmidt said they could not go back and change it. 
I say wait for, look for it, find, and then punish the attacker and his camera-cousin to the fullest extent of the law.
That might send a message that this will not be tolerated; that what starts out as name-calling and shoving and "teasing" often ends up with someone bruised and battered, or dead.

6 comments:

  1. When will this stop?

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  2. Anonymous12:04 PM

    This makes me sick to my stomach. If bullying continues to be tolerated the victims will, eventually, fight back. That's when we'll see more Timothy McVeigh's and fewer Tyler Clementis! http://wp.me/p1se8R-lh

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  3. The bullies need to be expelled. Not just these ones, but all bullies. Only when bullies get punished proportionally to the injury they cause will justice prevail.

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  4. I have never understood why schools have never taken bullying seriously. I dont care what the reason for the bullying, being smart, nerdy, skin color, overweight, wearing of glasses, being lgbt. The reason doesnt matter one tiny bit, bullying is never right. By allowing students to pick on one another it sends the message that this is how society deals with people who are different. And really, do we want nothing better than what we all grew up with? I think not.

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  5. And the worse part is that Chillicothe is a larger town in Ohio. It's not Cleveland or Columbus, but there are places like Vanlue or Fort Jennings where this could be something that's just covered up because the kid doesn't want to admit he or she really is gay or lesbian. Not only for his or her daily safety, but to protect his or her family as well.

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  6. This is sad and disgusting. I have never been one to believe in physical violence but I especially abhor it when it has to do with bullying someone due to race, religion, sexual preference, etc. People are awful and I hope that bully is fully punished to the extent of the law and then put into therapy to help him truly understand why he was wrong- I don't think punishment is enough unless someone really learns from it.

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