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Children with special needs need to be protected.
By Isaac Serna-Diez — Written on Dec 13, 2022
Footage from a York Community High School bathroom in Chicago has been shared across the web, upsetting social media users and people who are now looking for justice for the teen with down syndrome that was shoved to the ground.
Students at the school are outraged and there are whispers of an organized walk-out that would take place this Friday, December 16, 2022, according to The Chicago Tribune.
The Chicago high school principal claims the bullies who shoved the teen with down syndrome would face ‘consequences.’
York High School Principal Shahe Bagdasarian revealed that the moment they were aware of the incident, they looked into it.
“Immediately upon receiving this report, our school team began investigating,” Bagdasarian said.
“Parents were contacted and students were interviewed. Upon completion of the investigation by the school, appropriate consequences will be issued to those involved.”
The video was recorded inside the men’s bathroom, where a large crowd of teenage boys surrounded a teen with down syndrome who was being shoved to the ground by a group of bullies.
Instead of stepping in to stop the bullies or stand up for the disabled teen, many of the bystanders were recording, laughing, or yelling.
After being shoved to the ground and in response to all of the jeering and joking at his expense, the disabled teen hides in one of the stalls, refusing to come out before the video ends sometime later.
The superintendent commented on the video, claiming that it 'disappointed and saddened' her.
Keisha Campbell, the superintendent of Elmhurst School District 205, sent an email out to parents on Sunday, December 11, 2022, about the incident.
“We are deeply disappointed and saddened by the actions of this small group of students. Bullying, intimidation and harassment diminish a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate,” Campbell said.
“Such behaviors are not tolerated, and any student who chooses to engage in these behaviors will face the appropriate consequences.”
She revealed that the Elmhurst Police Department school resource officers have been in contact with the parents of the teen affected and that the school’s administrative team would be working with the families involved to ensure emotional and physical safety as the process is ongoing.
However, parents and students aren’t satisfied with the school’s response.
York High School parent Cris O’Connell spoke with The Chicago Tribune and expressed her frustration and disappointment.
“I have a lot of questions,” O’Connell said. “Why didn’t I get the email? Why isn’t this being explained further to people, what the consequences are?”
Parents and students alike are wondering what the consequences for the students involved are as more and more parents have been trying to report that their children, with or without special needs, have been bullied and gone through the same situation.
“It’s extremely serious,” she said. “So what do we need here at York? Do we need more people, more hall monitors? I’m not sure what the answer is, but I know that consequences to these actions are going to set the stage moving forward because this is going to get a lot of attention.”
Parents have already expressed how proud they are of the students that are protesting the school and organizing the walk-out, and claim that it’s now up to the administration to handle the situation justly.
Isaac Serna-Diez is an Assistant Editor who focuses on entertainment and news, social justice, and politics. Keep up with his rants about current events on his Twitter.