A 15-year-old teenager at Union-Scioto High School in Chillicothe, Ohio, is left with a chipped tooth and a possible concussion after a classmate brutally ambushed and attacked him earlier this week for being gay. The assault, watched by classmates who did nothing, was captured on cell-phone video and posted to Facebook.
The boy’s name is being kept private, but he spoke to WSYX ABC 6 in Ohio. “I covered myself, I shielded my body, but he kept on hitting me,” he recalled. “And nobody did anything.”
His mother says the three-days suspension his attacker received is not enough and is in discussion with the prosecutor’s office about pressing criminal charges. Ultimately though, she says she wants a more peaceful environment for kids like her son to learn in. “All those people who have that hate in their heart—they need to let it go. Because people are gonna be who they are.”
The Union-Scioto Local School District does have a policy prohibiting harassment based on sex, race, color, national origin, religion and disability, but not sexual orientation or gender identity. Ohio House Bill 208, currently languishing in the legislature, would amend current laws to require that school policies prohibit harassment, intimidation or bullying based on any actual or perceived trait. “All students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, have the right to a safe school and education,” says Equality Ohio Executive Director, Ed Mullen. “Students should not fear verbal harassment, cyberbullying, or physical assault in our public schools.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Cam
People wonder why many of our schools are failing, and then you read that a kid who committed Assault and Battery gets a 3 day suspension?!
That is idiotic, the victims bruises wouldn’t have even faded. It would serve the school right if the victim took out a restraining order that prevented the attacker from coming closer than 500 feet, they would either have to expell or put up some temp room for him to sit in.
MikeE
I’m sorry, regardless of the REASON for the beating, what that other student did was “assault causing bodily harm”. He should be arrested and jailed.
Ray
The mother of the victim should give the name of the little animal that attacked her kid. let him look over his shoulder from now on. Then she should sue the shit out of the school and the prosecutor if he doesn’t bring charges.
Bob
This shows the shitty state of our country! If the kid was attached for being Black, Hispanic, Jewish, Catholic, female/male, Asian, European…etc. they would press criminal charges. But it’s totally okay to bash the LGBT community and only get a three day suspension. What would be the penalty for attacking an Asian or a Black person or a Jewish kid? You better believe it would be more than a three day suspension. This proves that they think we are just garbage. I for one have had enough of peacefully trying to gain our rights. It is time for the LGBT community to get radical.
chpinnlr
the video is disgusting! The animal, excuse me…atacker, needs to be locked up. Three day suspension, are you effing kidding me?
Mark
lock him up!
Little Kiwi
that was fucking appalling. we have people freaking the fuck out about teens seeing a same-sex kiss in a show and no problem at all with them watching on as a kid gets beaten up for REAL?
priorities are fucking messed up. this attacker is a vicious criminal monster.
Chad Jeremy
Everyone, this is a sad and tragic story..even worse most stories like this go unpublished. My friend Caleb has been to D.C. several times and has even met with Obama. He is working tirelessly to have the Obama Administration appoint a Youth Adviser for LGBT kids.
He has only until Friday night to gather the signatures that the Administration asked for in a petition. Would you PLEASE go sign the petition and share it with your friends? It is on the White House site and they may require you to register for the site, but it only takes a few minutes,and you will have the satisfaction knowing that you helped make this happen.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/appoint-advisor-lgbt-youth-issues/KN6r2NPM
jonjon1968
@Cam: I agree. That means the victim could run into his attacker while still reeling from the trauma of the beating. I hope they make the bully’s parents pay for the dental work and doctor’s bills. It’s good to see they are pursuing prosecution for assault. That’s the way it should be for any violent bullying.
Little Kiwi
i’m literally floored that this only resulted in a three-day suspension. this is not “bullying” – this is outright violence inspired by bigotry. it’s VIOLENCE – the “kid” should be expelled and charged with assault. children have been sent away to juvie for far less than this.
Michael
Sick bastards as usual sadly. Those who stood by are just sociopaths thats the problem with our youth nowadays they are so desensitized to hate and violence they just do not give a fuck period.Whoever was videotaping it is just as vile and despicable as the kids who watched and did nothing.
Grant
@Bob:
It’s assault and battery. The parents of the victim should march down to the police and file charges.
Jane Doe
Maybe the kid that videotaped was just doing it for evidence sake and not big enough to put a stop to it. At least that kid released the video and not posted up for amusements sake. its not as easy to outright step up and stop it. but taping it to show or release to police or schools or the poor mother should be enough. at least lets be thankful for that help, instead of calling the kid taping a monster as well.
but they need to lock that attacker up!
Michael
@Jane Doe:
The question still remains why did that person who videotaped it post it to facebook.They sure did not seem interested in getting it to the police considering they automatically posted it to FB instead.Sorry but that does not sound like a compassionate act to me nor a concerned one either.Just my observation.
Jude
Of COURSE students watched it and didn’t help. In this day and age there is “ZERO TOLERANCE”, and anytime you fight, even to defend yourself or someone else, you’re in trouble too. I wouldn’t help if I were a student, either.
B
Let me get this straight. A 15 year old kid in Ohio commits an assault that should and him in the hands of the juvenile justice system, but merely gets a 3-day suspension. The school should have expelled him and handed him over to the police.
Meanwhile not all that long ago 6-year-old Zachary Christie in nearby Delaware was suspended for 45 days, with a threat of being sent to reform school, for bringing his favorite camping utensil, which contained a “spoon, fork, bottle-opener and (probably dull) knife to school. Zachary said, “I was just trying to eat lunch with it.” Source: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/zachary-christie-suspended-bringing-camping-utensil-school/story?id=8812939 (subsequently, after public outrage at the school district’s utter stupidity, Zachary’s suspension was ended earlier, but not before emotionally traumatizing him.)
If this relative treatment constitutes “justice,”, the term “justice for all” should be banned as false advertising.
B
No. 15 · Jude wrote, “Of COURSE students watched it and didn’t help. In this day and age there is “ZERO TOLERANCE”, and anytime you fight, even to defend yourself or someone else, you’re in trouble too. I wouldn’t help if I were a student, either.”
Aside from the obvious – this school does not have a zero-tolerance policy or the perp would have been expelled on the spot – is the suggestion that running out of the classroom and nabbing a teacher to intervene would get one in trouble? Just doing that constitutes helping in some way.
tookietookie
@B: Man, school would have been a hellalot more enjoyable if I had brought a bottle opener. That kid is a genius.
RomanHans
A New York man was sentenced to 11 months in jail for vandalizing subway advertisements.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/11/poster-boy-sentenced-to-11-months-in-prison-for-vandalism/
So, let’s do the math: a gay kid has, what — one one-hundredth? — the value of a billboard.
Menumk2
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Union-Scioto-Local-School-District/280096705050
Her is thye facebook link to post your outrage!
Palto
Contact the school (and superintendent) and let your voice be heard:
Union-Scioto Local Schools District Administration:
Superintendent: Dwight Garrett dgarrett@mail.gsn.k12.oh.us
High School Principal: James Osborne josborne@mail.gsn.k12.oh.us
Unioto High School Asst. Principal: Wilma Gillott wgillott@mail.gsn.k12.oh.us
MikeB
That student should be expelled. End of story. I hope the mother sues that school district so they are forced to implement better policies. Her son has a concussion, chipped tooth, expensive medical bill, expensive dental bill. And that same bully was harassing the kid on Facebook.
Expel him!
Pep, Italy
@ Palto thanks for the information ! Anymore updates about this story?
Aaron
I live in Columbus Ohio. I am young and I deal with this everyday in school… Maybe not physical violence. But discrimination every day :/ it sucks
ousslander
why the little punk isn’t in jail is a mystery? that was pre meditated assault and poss attempted murder.
The mother should have taught him how to defend himself and if he has too pick something up and crack into the bully’s head.
Some gay teens should get together and find this kid and beat him bloody
lefthook
@Bob: As an Asian person, I can tell you that we receive no special treatment when it comes to hate crimes. That is why I always carry a gun on my at all times.
They should find out who did this and then post his name on the internet. No more privacy for hatemongers.
jason
Here are three addresses and phone numbers to make your complaint. The first is general admin, the second is the High School and the third is the junior High. I think that, since the boy is 15, he’s from the High School, not the junior High, but check anyway. Here’s the details:
Union-Scioto
Administration Office
1565 Egypt Pike
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
740-773-4102
Unioto High School
14193 Pleasant Valley Road
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
740-773-4105
Unioto Junior High
160 Moundsville Road
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
740-773-5211 Ext. 111
David Brux
The attackers are not homophobic. They just have a PREFERENCE for beating up on other white guys. It’s ok if a white guy wants to beat up another white guy. That doesn’t make him homophobic. Sheesh.
Jack E. Jett
Thanks for the work Jason…I will post this on every blog that I can today.
We should all do the same.
the crustybastard
If the family is reading this: Ohio Revised Code 2151.34 “Protection order against a minor.”
Since there is no law specifically prohibiting harassing the victim further, the parents should petition for an ex parte order of protection on his behalf at the nearest state courthouse. They can do this without the assistance of a lawyer.
The little asshole who beat the victim us is then subject to legal action if he so much looks at the victim funny.
JM
@Bob: Yes, asses need to be kicked, and heads need to roll over this bullshit. 3 days for beating the shit out of another kid isn’t nearly enough.
Renee
@Jane Doe: I’m not sure that’s it. Why would he or she have videotaped the kid standing there waiting?
anon
well it’s bad and i would say that criminal charges should be pressed but what’s that going to do ? this kid’s just going to start his life of going in and out of the criminal justice system as it more often than not does not reform anyone . So send him from a broken school system . No child ends up hating gays naturally . But putting them in en mass into an institution with strict hierarchy like a school or prison pretty much means that they WILL group together and hate and beat anyone that doesn’t fit into one of the large groups unless they are clearly taught otherwise within that institution . So what i’m saying is, the school system is broke, but that doesn’t mean that the criminal justice system is any better . unless of course all you care about is punishment .
raichu
3 days suspension? That’s gross. Expulsion should be a minimum.
chris
This is more B.s. frome the school boards. My daughter was being bullied but she stood up for her self and retaleated. So when here attacker started she was ready for her , she ended up winning the fight but she also got suspended. We tlod the school what was going on and nothing. My sone went threw it for 4 yrs and the school did nother so I told my son that the next the bully bpthers you kick his a-s. So he did and wouldn`t you know I got a phone call that my son was in a fight so I had to go and get him. But back to my daughter, I told her that I was`nt getting anywere as a parent so you need to write the school board, she is an hunor student and studies hard , and follows the rules. We as parents have to start at home with this problem. If your kid is a bully then it is up to ypou to stop it. If not sooner or later they will get paid back in the end. If there is a problem in your school go to the teachers , principal , then go to the school board.
B. Hill
A homophobic, gay-bashing WHITE kid?????
A few things are wrong with this picture.
1) I thought it was the BLACK community that were the perpetrators of senseless homophobia. It frankly doesn’t make sense that this kid is white! White folks are gay-accepting…everybody knows that.
2) I thought kids of this generation were sooooo tolerant and accepting of LGBT’s, that they deem homophobia as “uncool” and that they were gonna be the ones to save us as they age into adults and the old farts die off.
None of this makes any sense! Fuck you Queerty for ruining my delusion of young white people and how they were going to save the world!
DanGil
Release the name of the attacker, please
Cass
Disturbing, Gut wrenching, heartbreaking, sad, infuriating, sickening, and just down right appalling are just a few words used to describe the vicious and malicious attack. Hi, my name is Casandra, and the young man that all of you have seen being brutally beaten in this Union-Scioto attack is my nephew. He is 15years old and has been avidly discriminated against for years for being homosexual. Every time I even think of this video or the attack I want to vomit. Our family can not even begin to express the magnitude of our appreciation for the support we have received on so many avenues. He, is staying strong and positive. His voice needs to be heard and through all of you and your support that is happening. This attack has changed his life for ever not only emotionally but mentally as well. Today I say to everyone don’t be afraid to be who you are, god made you the way you are and just like Lady Gaga says ” I was born this way” each and everyone of us were born to be who we are. Again I say the support that we have received for all of you is more than any family could have dreamed of Thank you all from the deepest part of our hearts.
Map
Okay, I’ll tell you what happened because people who are close to me were THERE.
Supposedly a gay kid was pummelled simply because he was gay. There’s even a video that undeniably shows a gay kid getting hammered.
The truth of what happened is well, boring. And doesn’t lend itself in any way to some special interest group advancing their cause with it unless they were to cherrypick details that weren’t present in the first place.
Zach Huston (gay students name, as revealed by Columbus newspaper), was secretly taking photographs of boys in study hall and posting them on his facebook with sexual comments about them (btw, in some states this set of criteria lands you as a SEX OFFENDER).
Zach was taunting the assailant about his poverty level, and continually making menacing comments to him.
The assailant, who I have it on good authority is quick to punch for percieved slights of any kind, was provoked to action.
My intimate knowledge of this case is, I have been in frequent contact with the assailants sister, and other Unioto students through facebook. There was even an in-school petition gathering momentum in support of the assialant, BEGUN BY A GAY STUDENT, and gathered numerous signatures. (The prosecuter would later force them to halt this as it pretained to the ongoing case)
My next door neighbor of 5 years, who’s a student at that same high school – his best friend was among those being secretly photographed.
But the kicker is, my nephew WHO IS GAY, was absolutely incredulous when he learned (the assailant) was being accused of a hate crime against gays, for as he says “…me and him were best buds at ******* middle school for two years”, and would often hang with an “Alex” who was also gay.
The vicious, out-of-control, gay savaging homophobe cover story is losing credibility by the minute.
I’d say, if anything, the assailant might even be a latent bi-sexual. Nonetheless, he stands about 6’2, and if someone that size is dishing out a beating, don’t blame the other kids for not being a hero and physically stopping him.
The gay activists jumped on this story with GUSTO. At last, it would seem, they have VIDEO PROOF dipicting how gays are getting treated in society.
But like the vast majority of “cause celebes” they embrace and try to rally their base and sway elected leaders with, it was rooted in untruths and distorted details.