ELMHURST, Ill. — Students at York Community High School are planning a walkout Friday after videos circulated on social media of a student with special needs being bullied by teenagers in a school bathroom.
The school said it dealt with the matter accordingly, but some parents and students said they feel the school should have done more.
“A lot of parents are very angry cause the school tried to minimize the incident,” said Emma Gurecki, a junior at the high school. “This is a big deal, it should be known.”
In a statement released by the school, officials said:
“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. Such behaviors are not tolerated in Elmhurst District 205, and any student who chooses to engage in these behaviors will face the appropriate consequences. Throughout the day on Friday, students involved in the situation were interviewed and significant school consequences were issued. The investigation continued throughout the weekend and remains ongoing.”
Students at the school have organized a petition on change.org advocating for immediate change to school disciplinary policies and punishment for the students involved in the videos.
The walkout is scheduled to happen at lunchtime around 1 p.m. at York High School.