An Oregon school said it could not comment on whether or not a high school student caught on video violently assaulting a female classmate was transgender after the viral clip sparked outrage on social media.
The brutal violence happened recently between periods at Hazelbrook Middle School in Tualatin, a southwest Portland suburb, when dozens of students stood still and were filmed, OregonLive reported.
Video of the incident shows students walking to their classes in the corridor when suddenly a student in a green and black coat, white tank top, long hair and glasses jumps out and grabs a female student with her backpack.
The bully pulled the victim back, forcing his head to hit his backpack as he hit the ground, according to the video, which shared on Twitter by Riley Gaines — former college swimmer and outspoken activist against allowing trans athletes in women’s sports.
The attacker then hit the student on the head, twisted her hair and continued to beat the girl while shouting “Ow!” powerless on the ground.
“Talk shit again b—h!” shouted the attacker to the girl.
The student pulled a peer’s hair before unleashing the attack.Riley Gaines/X
The victim, sobbing, got up slowly, and said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t do anything.”
“I can’t breathe,” he told another student.
School officials told OregonLive that the incident is now under criminal investigation.
The bully was arrested and faces assault charges, district officials confirmed. The case was referred to the Washington County Juvenile Department.
The student yelled “shit again b—tch” during the beating.Riley Gaines/X
Social media users jumped on the attacker’s clothing in the video and concluded — without any confirmation — that the student was transgender.
The school district said that in accordance with federal privacy laws it cannot comment on students’ gender identities, district spokeswoman Traci Rose told the outlet.
The district’s education board issued a statement condemning those who shared the video of the incident online, which has been viewed more than 10.5 million times and sparked a storm of hateful comments on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Students and adults contributed to the sharing of these recordings that exposed minors who were involved directly and indirectly without permission,” board members said in the statement.
Tigard-Tualatin School District officials condemned the sharing of the incident on social media. KGW8
“Additionally, sharing of these incidents has spread across the country and beyond, inspiring misinformation and focus and discourse about sexual identity,” the board continued. This act has contributed to the trauma experienced by individuals and families.”
Tigard-Tualatin Superintendent Sue Rieke Smith defended the school’s discipline policy, which emphasizes student growth and recovery, against parents who demanded it switch to a stricter “zero tolerance” policy.
“The research is clear. Zero tolerance does not work and it exacerbates the potential for school violence,” he said at an open forum this week. “What is more important is that there are consequences that are imposed and that there is support that surrounds the student.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
