10.31.2011

Three Day Holiday for School Bully

Out gay student gets beaten by another student in Ohio. Luckily for the young out gay boy someone did get it on video.  The attack portions of the video have been blurred to protect the identity of the boy who was attacked.



In this video a boy is attacked.  The boy's mother believes it is a hate crime.  Her son is out in school as gay. The bully in this case was suspended for three days.  Three days for beating up another student. Even if this were not motivated by hate toward someone because of their sexuality, suspending someone for three days for this premeditated attack is nothing.  The bully planned this attack, he did not let up.  He intended to inflict pain and harm.

This looks to be another example of schools not taking bullying seriously.  The bully will be seen as a hero upon his return to school after a three day 'holiday'.

Ohio state law requires school districts so have a policy that prohibits harassment, intimidation or bullying; however, the law does not include sexuality.  It makes me think back to the Canadian Conservatives, 'it gets better' video.  Unless we have meaningful action by governments queer kids and those thought to be queer will continue to suffer and some of them will take the only way out they know of, just as Jamie Hubley did.

See story at Chicago Pride

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