‘I found a welt on my son’s forehead, bruising. Throughout the attack, this little boy laughed, smiled.’: Mom ‘enraged’ after her son attacked in locker room at school

“Yesterday, my son was attacked. In a violent, malicious manner while in the school locker room at Blake Academy in Polk County. As one student repeatedly hit him over and over again, others not only held my son down so that the student could hit him but encouraged the attack. I am enraged.

The school nurse called us first and let us know our son was in the nurse’s office and could not give us any additional information. I immediately left my office and went to the school – not one school administrator contacted me on the way to the school. I got to the school to find a welt on my son’s forehead and back of head, a cut above his eyebrow and bruising all around his eye. At the time we didn’t think it was any more than a scuffle and still due to his injuries we decided to press charges on the boy – at this time we had no clue others were involved. UNTIL later last night when we received videos from the parent of a high school student (our son is in middle school) – the videos showed the attack that lasted well over 3 minutes with no adult supervision or intervention. You hear the kids not only cursing but encouraging the attack and not stepping in to stop what was happening.

I have asked the school administrators what will happen to the other children involved – would you like to know their response? We can’t tell you! We are entitled to know how the school system plans to protect our child. I do not need to know the specifics of the child’s name or any other personal identifiers however I believe due to the nature of this attack we should know what the consequences are and if the children are in school. What is our world coming to?

This could have ended much differently; our child has one kidney and after getting kneed several times this could have resulted in permanent damage. He was thrown on the floor over a bench, head his head all while others watched. And all they can tell me is they will handle it – this is unacceptable.

Today, we went to the Bartow Courthouse and try to get a restraining order or injunction and Judge Kelly Butz said that because the attack did not happen multiple times, she would not award the protection to our son. It only takes one hit for a child to die. How many more times would you like this to happen to our child or any other child? Throughout the entire attack this little boy laughed and smiled – and you think he won’t do it again? Yet the malicious videos were not taken into account.

I can guarantee you had this been a group of black students on a lone white student we would be having a completely different conversation. I am disheartened, I am tired, scared for my son and completely enraged. These videos make my whole heart sad – nothing warrants this behavior. Policy must change to protect our children – or we will continue to mourn children for stupid reasons.”