OH. Student claims High School Fight was motivated by sexual orientation and school did nothing to stop the harassment

School and law enforcement officials still are evaluating evidence in the Oct. 17 beating of a Unioto High School freshman whose mother thinks the attack was tied to his sexual orientation.

School and law enforcement officials still are evaluating evidence in the Oct. 17 beating of a Unioto High School freshman whose mother thinks the attack was tied to his sexual orientation.

During the two years her son has been at Unioto, and even at his previous school, Collins said her son repeatedly has been called names relating to his sexuality.

Oct. 17 was the first time those taunts escalated into a physical attack, she said.

According to the initial report obtained Thursday by the Gazette, the two boys were on their way to a third-period class when they “bumped shoulders.” The 15-year-old suspect told deputies he has a mental illness, that he “just zoned out,” and didn’t know why he punched Collins’ son, according to the report.

Collins’ son sustained a black eye, a knot behind his ear, a chipped tooth and a possible concussion, Collins said.

When a cell phone video of the fight showed up on Facebook, Collins reported it. The video, allegedly taken by the aggressor’s cousin, shows he waited for Collins’ son and then struck him multiple times. She also reported a comment the boy made on her son’s Facebook photo two days before the attack. She said the comment made a derogatory reference to her son’s sexuality.

According to Collins, the student was given a three-day suspension for the fight. While Osborne declined to confirm the suspension due to confidentiality issues, he said the discipline in the situation was meted out days before he became aware of the video, which contradicted his investigation and appears to reveal premeditation.

While the sheriff’s office continues to investigate the motive, Ross County Prosecutor Matt Schmidt said his office is evaluating whether to file an assault or felonious assault charge.

There is no Ohio hate crime law. There is a federal hate crime law, he added, but the federal district attorney would have to file the charge, and Collins could approach him about it.

Collins said “it’s not only the kids doing it. The teachers aren’t stepping in,” Collins said.

In a statement on the incident released late Thursday, GLSEN said that according to its 2009 National School Climate Survey, one in four LGBT students in Ohio had experienced some sort of physical assault at school within the past year because of their sexual orientation.

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2 Responses to OH. Student claims High School Fight was motivated by sexual orientation and school did nothing to stop the harassment

  1. Anonymous says:

    well maybe if your kid didnt run his mouth he wouldnt have got the crap beat outta him. thats why he got beat up not because he is gay. sounds like you have some parenting you need to work on and you kid has attention issues. You child is just living it up at school he thinks hes famous or something its disgusting. I think he deserved it. ALL GAYS BURN IN HELL!!!

  2. Anonymous says:

    First and for most, the teacher for that classroom at the time got locked out of his own classroom during the fight. there was no way a teacher could have stepped in at the time. I use to be a student at Unioto High School and i have seen my fair share of fights at this school. And not once has a teacher not stepped in. Everytime there is a fight a teacher or multiple teachers are there as soon as they can to make sure the fight doesnt continue. The teachers here at Unioto go out of there way to make sure we are safe while here. I have never felt safer then i do here.
    Your kid is making this a bigger deal then what it needs to be. Sounds like to me your kid Mrs. Collins is trying to have a pitty party for himself and get all the attention. Maybe your kid shouldnt be RUNNING his mouth to all the kids at school. That WILL get you in trouble and your kid not be liked. Now im not saying it was right for him to be beat up, but it was NOT because of his sexuality. Your kid needs to grow up and take responsibility for his actions.

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