The message being sent in one Indianapolis school is “we can’t help you if you’re bullied… but we’ll be all over you like a rash if you try to help yourself.”
Darnell “Dynasty” Young, a 17-year-old openly gay student at Arsenal Technical High School is facing suspension for firing a stun gun in the air to ward off bullies who had cornered him, reports the Indianapolis Star.
Young had been the target of bullying since transferring to the school last year. Classmates threw bottles at him, followed him home, and spread rumors that he performed sex acts in the school bathroom. At one point he even considered suicide but came back from the brink. “God gave me this life,” Young told the Star. “I love life. I’m trying to be strong.”
His mother reported the harassment ten times to no avail—the school claimed it wasn’t able to help because Young wasn’t always able to identify everyone who bullied him.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Eventually, mom did what she thought she had to do and gave her son a stun gun for protection. On April 16, a group of students blocked Young in and threatened to attack him. Young fired the gun in the air, sending his would-be assailants scurrying.
Within minutes he was arrested by school security.
Young was suspended almost immediately, and a meeting about his possible expulsion was held this Wednesday. An “independent arbitrator” will make the final decision—most likely in the next few days.
Principal Larry Yarrell—you know, the one who claimed the school was trying to help with the bullying—said he told Young to”tone down” his appearance:
“If you wear female apparel, then kids are kids and they’re going to say whatever it is that they want to say. Because you want to be different and because you choose to wear female apparel, it may happen. In the idealistic [sic] society, it shouldn’t matter. People should be able to wear what they want to wear.”
Gee, sounds a lot like he’s blaming the victim, doesn’t it? Does Yarrell really think if Young wore Hollister t-shirts and Levi’s his attackers would’ve left him alone? It doesn’t work like that: gay kids get bullied whether they look like everyone else or stand out.
We’re not condoning bringing weapons to school, but Young literally thought his life was at risk. And at least he had the sense to shoot the gun in the air, where it wouldn’t hurt anyone. But he could still have his future jeopardized by this expulsion.
What’s happening to the rat shits that have been stalking and tormenting him? Are they going to be punished as well, or will they just fade into crowd?
EmmaMTF
What does it say about our school systems when neither the teachers, nor security are able/willing to do anything about bullying to the extent that our kids are being forced to arm themselves with *weapons* in order to protect themselves at school under the very nose of their authoritative figures?
And the principal had the nerve to tell this kid to “tone it down”, as if it was somehow the victim’s fault that he was being bullied?
How much farther are administrative officials willing to take their neutrality? They’ve already displayed their unwillingness to *willingly* change in the face of suicidal and self-harming teens. What the hell, people.
Tom J
The “rat shits” will likely, as in most cases, fade away. I just feel sad for Darnell.
Tom
Is the principal really blaming Darnell for his bullying? Does he also blame rape victims for getting raped for what they wear?
Raymond Torres
you see all the tragedy that bullying does i think that person should have some kind of right to protect himself
mogster11
Thank goodness his mother did the best she could to protect her son. She and her son both handled this pretty well, I thought.
It’s made it to Huffpo
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/02/darnell-dynasty-young-gay-student-stun-gun_n_1471921.html#s911026&title=Sawyer_Rosenstein
and booooy people are in arms there.
Clockwork
Good story that really makes a person think. Read the links on the stories it helps put things in perspective.
– The school system does need to press on the investigation and discipline the kids who were bothering this young man. Great teachable moment for everyone in the school.
– It’s a shame but they will have to at least suspend him for bringing the stun gun.
If it was off campus I would say carry and fire dude.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
I wonder if the self-defense loving homocons will step in and defend this kid? Oh, wait–he’s gay, they don’t give a shit.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Something from the Star article I found disturbing:
His outgoing personality and unique accessories made him stand out from the other students. Even some of the other gay students were unfriendly, he said.
Wow. Even his gay peers turned on him. I guess “no fatties, no femmes” has trickled down into the school level.
NovaNardis
Bullied or not, he brought a weapon to school.
Trent
It says in the star article that the principal is unable to find the people responsible or he would do something. The school is trying, there is just not much that they can do. No one will say who was attacking him because the others are for some reason afraid of these kids and don’t want trouble.
I would suggest try not using the school as a scape goat. They said some offensive things, but they at least seem to be trying to make an effort.
Interesting
Yes, we should take the principle’s word nowt hat they have been caught allowing this to occur rather than realizing that they are probably just lying to cover up their prior screw ups that this situation needed to escalate this far.
As for the other idiot: Its not to be morally pure when you don’t feel threatened typing at your computer about weapons. It quite another when in legitimate fear.
taylor
The principal talking about his clothing is some victim blaming BULLSHIT a la Geraldo Rivera blaming the death of Trayvon Martin on the fact that he was wearing a hoodie. So basically anyone who isn’t a white straight male in this country should probably just be careful of what they’re wearing all the time. I can’t even with these basic bitches.
continuum
The principal is unable to find the students responsible for the bullying.
WTF.
Is this poor excuse for a principal unable to ask the poor kid who was bullying him.
Are they’re so many kids, that the school can’t identify who is who.
Or, is the guy just trying to save his own sorry ass for failing to live up to his responsibilities.
Schlukitz
@EmmaMTF:
It’s tantamount to a judge blaming a woman who has just been raped that her skirt was not covering her ankles and therefore she “invited” the rape and had it coming.
What in tarnation is wrong with a society that puts the blame on the victims, instead of on the perps who commit the crimes?
n900mixalot
@Schlukitz: Our society has rape shield laws that protect [female] rape victims from having their character attacked. But we would never have any shield laws that protect victims of bullying based on orientation because that isn’t what holds society together…like the female rape victims supposedly do.
Attacking a victim’s character is bad form, regardless. But this lil boy had had enough.
Schlukitz
@n900mixalot:
I was in total agreement with EmmaMTF and offered a simile to show my support of her comment.
And your point was?
Charli
Beware of the repressed. Beware when the weak become strong!!!
E
Extreme measure, but the kid had the right idea. If you’re facing physical violence, you should be able to defend yourself.
Belize
@Charli: Firing a stun gun doesn’t really make you strong. Sorry. Try again.
Belize
@continuum: “Are they’re so many kids, that the school can’t identify who is who.”
It’s probably some hick town school where nearly every kid is named after a book from the “Bah-Bull.”
Belize
Oh no. A kid who didn’t use his fist to fight a bully. JayKay is going to have a fit for sure…
Charli
So says the “follower of ” the majority ” in which uses the governments tools to oppress another!
They have “their weapons” and he found his!!!
Beware : imaginary superiors here cometh the weak!!!
Kev C
If Darnell used a gun or knife to wound the bullies, the school wouldn’t have such a hard time finding the bullies.
Hyhybt
Schools have cameras pretty much everywhere. If they wanted to identify them, they could at least get some.
Better expelled than dead.
CBRad
@Belize: No, dude, it’s Indianapolis. And Darnell “Dynasty” Young sure ain’t a Biblical name.
Interesting
I think the kid who fucked with the gay kid will think twice the next time he fucks with another gay kid. That’s the value of the stun gun, and yes, he made him strong.
B
OK, so let the school expel the kid for bringing a stun gun to school and then let his parents use the full capabilities of the legal system and sue the school’s and its administrators’ figurative asses for the negative impact on this kid caused by their inability to protect him. Those costs include any therapy to help him get over it, any additional costs in getting an education, compensation for expected lifetime reductions in earnings, general “pain and suffering”, and (of course) attorney fees. One experience like that and they’ll find a way of protecting their gay students.
SEXXYJAMAICAN
I feel where this kid is coming from, when I first came to this country a group of dudes tried to bully me but I wasn’t the one to be played with. Sometimes you have to meet violence with violence and show them that some gay people are not to be phucked with and now those bullies will think twice before stepping to Mr. Young.
David Myers
@Belize: Firing a stun gun(in the air)certainly got the administration’s attention and scattered the bigots. If he is to be suspended (hopefully only for a brief time) at least the bullis that he could identify should get the same punishment – (and no, using the excuse that he couldn’t identify everyone so therefore they couldn’t punish anyone is not an acceptable policy or excuse)!
Jay
I agree with NovaNardis.
This guy is an idiot. Anyone who brings a stun gun to school even if they are being bullied is just begging to get arrested and have criminal charges brought upon them.
Let's be real here
B that’s not going to happen. The school will just say how the student made the personal decision to bring a stun gun to school and fire it off into the air.
Valeria Mariscal
NovaNardis,you are fool of chit.The poor kid and the mother did what they could through the legal system,and it failed.So what was he suppost to do stand there and let the other kids beat him up,posibly kill him. Im mexican,and the way we do things is,”you hit” ‘I’ll knock your ass down. mmmmmmmm it’s called self defense sweety!!
Drew
Valeria, he certainly shouldn’t have brought a stungun or weapon to school at all. I agree with you that he should have either fought back physically at them or told them “If you mess with me I’ll beat your ass!”
ish
EmmaMTF-Schlukitz is a total bigot and not for LGBT equality at all.
If this student was bisexual Schlukitz would have denied his sexuality and claimed that he was really lying about being bisexual just like the Bachmanns do to everyone that’s LGBT, and I’m sure Schlukitz being the bigot he is would say the kid deserved the bullying.
Valeria Mariscal
Now,that i’m thinking about it Drew i agree with you.
Hyhybt
@Drew: Yes, because that approach works so well when you’re one against many.
B
No. 31 · Let’s be real here wrote, “B that’s not going to happen. The school will just say how the student made the personal decision to bring a stun gun to school and fire it off into the air.”
What was being pointed out is that there are two issues – bringing a stun gun onto school property and the failure of the school to provide its students with the expected level of supervision. These are independent of each other. This kid and his parents have a valid reason to sue – in an incident in Morgan Hill, California, a school ignored the bullying of a gay student (including threats of serious bodily injury) and finally got sued for it. They now have training programs for teachers to prevent this from happening again, with a multi-million dollar settlement providing a damn good incentive. Plus, other school districts noticed the cost of doing nothing, so the large settlement did a lot of good.
KV
Well the school is called Arsenal…
Shannon1981
Darnell should not be punished. This school is obviously run by homophobes.
Chuck
I was about to come in here and be like: “another case of a gay teen doing something stupid and getting punished for it and a bunch of queens coming to his defense, just because he’s gay”
But then I read the article, and I agree with you guys. That’s really stupid and the principal of that school has some things to answer to.
Chris
I would have no problem with him being suspended for carrying a stun gun if his attackers were arrested for assault. After all, the school has a policy against violent crime on premises and rules are rules.
Kenzie
Well its america no isnt it? Sue the bastards.
mike
Screw the stun gun, I would’ve used a taser on those sewer rats. Only thing those punks unterstand is violence, so fight violence with violence, or get the crap beat out of you.
beachcomberT
If the facts are being accurately reported, the first one to be charged should be the principal, for dereliction of duty. If there were 10 incidents, and the principal still couldn’t figure out who the troublemakers were, that’s pathetic. I don’t know if a 17-year-old is considered a minor in Indianapolis, but apparently it was the mother’s idea to arm her kid, so she should be the one to be charged. However, I think both mom and son have a strong defense if they can document 10 separate complaints. Hopefully, this publicity will be a wake-up call, but maybe it will take a class-action lawsuit to get the full attention of the Indianapolis school board.
seaki-ala-delicious
Looking at some of the comments, CLEARLY some of you have not went to public school before!!! Lets put ti this way, these sewer rats would have walked up to me, and I would have “sliced and diced”. Growing up in Louisiana, 9th ward, as a young “queen”, I KEPT box-cutter, razor blade on me from junior high on up to graduation. These “kids” ( really they are packs of wolves) will beat YOU SENSELESS for no reason. i got my ass beat one time when I was 15 by 3 dudes, and never again cause i was known as the “crazy faggot that will kill you”. I feel so sorry for this young man, def brings back VERY bad memories of my days in high school.
Youssuf
Many schools globally, even expensive private institutions, in my opinion are not even taking bullying seriously; let alone lgbt bullying. My question to them is the following, for what reason do they claim to educate children into well integrated adults if lgbt students can’t even feel safe in a learning environment. Ambivalent, laissez-faire attitudes towards bullying issues are damaging and irresponsible and harmful to society in the long term. It’s 2012 for god’s sake in movies were meant to be so advanced by now that we’re driving floating cars yet still homophobia exists.