Felony Charges In Belleville West High School Bus Attack
September 22, 2009 by Morbid
Belleville, Illinois – Two of the students involved in the beating of a 17-year-old classmate while riding on a Belleville school bus will be charged with felonies for their part. The altercation was captured on video (watch it after the jump), and shows a 17-year-old get beat by two different students within moments of each other. The race issue was thrown around when the story first broke, as the victim is white and his attackers are black, but more information has come out since these reports and it doesn’t look like race was a motivating factor. Or if it was, there is no evidence to support it. More information and the video of the attack after the jump.
The 14 and 15-year-old shown punching on the kid were not only expelled from Belleville West High School for the rest of this year and all of next, they were also charged with felony counts of aggravated battery. If convicted, they will spend some time in a juvenile corrections facility. “This is an egregious act,” said Belleville Township High School District 201 school board member Kurt Schroeder. “We have to send a message to all students we will not tolerate it.”
The school board acted quickly and severely, letting the bus driver go (although the company that actually employs the driver states the driver did nothing wrong) and began suspending any student shown in the video who seemed to egg on the attack. Any student who stood up and did not sit down as the bus driver instructed, or laughed at the attack – suspended. But of course, the parents of these suspended students feel that this is unfair. The parent of one of the kids who was charged with beating the boy says the tape has “ruined” their family’s lives. That’s right, the tape. Not the contents on the tape.
During a school board meeting over this incident, I got a kick out of a comment made by Alicia Brown. She stated, “It was inhumane the way that child was treated. But those children need an education, whether they get it at Belleville West or somewhere. Education is power, knowledge is power. How are they going to learn how to become productive citizens if we don’t educate them on what a productive citizen acts like.”
My answer to that? Get the kids some reading material while they are in a juvenile corrections facility. They committed a crime and should be punished for it. Belleville High School is not responsible for teaching kids not to beat on someone who is not a threat and is not fighting back. That kind of shit is taught in the home. The fact that other kids did not take part in this and another steps in between an attacker and the victim is proof of that.
Since the video was released, and the media got hold of it, the bus driver has been let go for not stopping the bus and intervening. Other students have also came forward saying that this is not a rare occurrence for Number 117. A bus they say is overcrowded and rowdy. Students report fearing for their safety and revealing their own stories of being attacked by students.
Dunno what to think about this one in regards to the reverse-racism context. If you watch the above video (which includes the boy who broke up the second fight), as well as the comments made by other students in the source links, it doesn’t seem like that is the case. It looks like a case of bullying against a kid who is very passive. That’s not faulting the kid that got beat, but I remember my school days, and I know that bullies always take the path of least resistance. The fact that there are other white students who ride the bus who have not come forward with tales of being targeted for being white lends credence to this not being a black-and-white issue. That being said, I am curious as to how different this would have been handled had the races been reversed.
More video:
1:02 pm on September 22nd, 2009
I agree with you 100 percent Morbid on all your comments made in this story.
I will bet $1,000.00 these two kids have been in trouble before. Just the act of punching someone shows how blatant these punks are.
1:08 pm on September 22nd, 2009
The double standard in America is disgusting. I don’t think this was racially motivated but if the roles were reversed Al, Jesse, and NAACP would be camped in front of the courthouse demanding hate crime charges. Why is it that it never seems to work the other way?
1:50 pm on September 22nd, 2009
This appears to nothing more than asshole bullies targeting someone they see as weak. If anything, white kids are more apt to come off as shy and dorky, and that is what they were responding to more so than his race per se. That’s just my opinion. The kid who intervened was also black, and doing so put him at risk, so that was pretty brave considering how they were wailing on him.
What is painful watching this video is that you know that the poor kid did not want to sit there, but he had to sit somewhere and there was only one kid in that seat. The little piece of shit thinks he’s entitled to have the seat to himself, and he wasn’t the only one either. It was almost a set-up, they were going to hog whole seats and if anyone dared challenge that, even passively, they were going to go off on them. And the cheering kids suck almost as bad, they have the same attitude as the attackers, only without the balls to actually act on it.
I don’t care what their age is, they need to be made an example of and I’m glad the school reacted this way, even if they only did so because of bad publicity. Who knows if it will serve as a deterrent in the future, probably not to be honest, but kids should continue to be punished severely for behavior like this on principle alone.
Stupid little fucks. I hate bullies with a passion.
2:26 pm on September 22nd, 2009
I’m glad to hear that the school board took a stand on this sending the message that this behavior and situation WON’T BE TOLERATED! Glad they FIRED the Bus Driver and suspended students left and right who were involved.
Of course, it’s moron parents of these little pieces of crap that were CHEERING or engaging in the attack that don’t think it’s fair that THEIR kids be suspended…. How about teaching your damn kids to accept responsibility for their actions?! Instead of clapping and cheering on the attack, they could had stepped in to stop it or shouted at the bullies to STOP.
That poor kid didn’t asked to be attacked. I hope those attackers are convicted.
3:59 pm on September 22nd, 2009
Seems everyone in the world is capable of hate crimes except for a black person in the USA.
4:01 pm on September 22nd, 2009
crunchieapple
2:26 pm on September 22nd, 2009
I’m glad to hear that the school board took a stand on this sending the message that this behavior and situation WON’T BE TOLERATED! Glad they FIRED the Bus Driver and suspended students left and right who were involved.
Of course, it’s moron parents of these little pieces of crap that were CHEERING or engaging in the attack that don’t think it’s fair that THEIR kids be suspended…. How about teaching your damn kids to accept responsibility for their actions?! Instead of clapping and cheering on the attack, they could had stepped in to stop it or shouted at the bullies to STOP.
That poor kid didn’t asked to be attacked. I hope those attackers are convicted.
Liked it enough to want to repeat it.
4:10 pm on September 22nd, 2009
You almost sound disappointed, bitme. Did you want this to be a hate crime?
4:57 pm on September 22nd, 2009
I’d rather not have crime, but when we do have a crime I’d at least like the law to be honest about it
But it’s not about the law is it. It’s about politicians getting reelected and creating a politically correct/incorrect political environment
6:28 pm on September 22nd, 2009
bitme, what in the hell does any of that have to do with this story?
6:39 pm on September 22nd, 2009
Morbid
6:28 pm on September 22nd, 2009
bitme, what in the hell does any of that have to do with this story?
All of it, we have crime, cops, race, politics, transportation, school system, children, video and the evening news watched by the voting public
Hello anyone home?
guess not
later
6:48 pm on September 22nd, 2009
Yeah, as usual, I guess not. You make no sense at all. You make some obscure comment about the law being honest about a crime insinuating that this was a hate crime cover-up. I mean, if anyone else reading biteme’s got the same vibe please chime in.
If you were simply making statements that had nothing to do with this story, well then I hope you understand why I may seem confused as to why you made them at all. If your comments were about this story, an explanation would be nice.
This is not a hate crime, btw, and the actions taken so far have been pretty damned good and pretty damn quick on the part of prosecutors and the school. The law leveled felony charges on the two individuals, the school went on a suspending spree and no student has confirmed this was racial. Ont he contrary, this was a bullying situation.
So if your comments have nothing to do with this particular story, how about go finding one where they do apply.
7:00 pm on September 22nd, 2009
Well, I’m chiming. Honestly, a good percentage of biteme’s posts leave me scratching my head, as if there is an agenda there that doesn’t quite fit the particular story, if at all.
Of course, biteme has always hated me, and I’ve never quite understood why. Oh well.
7:51 pm on September 22nd, 2009
I think biteme was trying to say is that if the races had been reversed, the media would have found a way to twist it into a race issue.
8:50 pm on September 22nd, 2009
No, I brought that up in my last sentence in the article, as did question everything. Biteme stated, quite clearly,
Aside from that being a bullshit statement as blacks are charged with hate crimes, it has nothing to do with this story as it was not a hate crime. When I ask to clarify, I get
Which still does not apply to this story. How has the law not been honest about this crime? How have politicians being elected to create a politically correct\incorrect environment have jack-all to do with this? Of course, this was followed by
Which just gets a head-scratching WTF from me.
Look, anyone wanna try to state in a more clear fashion what I and another have already said, even expand on it – go for it. It is no jump in logic to think that if this had been two white boys wailing on a black kid’s head, Sharpton, Jesse and the media ball-suckers would have been calling for blood. But that would not make it right, and it still wouldn’t make it a hate crime even if the roles were reversed.
12:03 am on September 23rd, 2009
EXACTLY what I was thinking…. thanks!
1:19 am on September 23rd, 2009
Hmmmmm, whatever the motivation, be it race, stature, machoism, or just plain meanness. They message was loud and clear, “We Own This Bus.” Would they have responded the same way if a fellow black student sat down in that very same seat? Guess we’ll never know, doesnt really matter at this point. I’m glad they wont be back in school.
3:12 am on September 23rd, 2009
The video :38 (?) & 2:04 (raines) different boy different backpacks
I keep watching and pausing tape to see which seat they were in and where did they come from, there has been some editing on that tape.
and yes there needs to be more expelled for egging it on, as the boy is sitting i don’t see him reaching to lift, push, remove any persons property. I would like to hear what that white girl and boy caddy corner to that seat has to say.
That momma at the meeting is a whack job… she probably just got herself 10x the hate mail.
Those kids (mixture of races) that are sitting in the front (3 to a seat) feel threatened. Seems the white kids are are clinging to the front as well. According to Raines there are about 8.
9:29 am on September 23rd, 2009
I concur with the statements that it is a bullying case. And kudos to the kid who did finally jump in between them to break up the fight.
9:50 am on September 23rd, 2009
Well that about sums it up for me, I don’t think much will change regardless. It seems like the adults don’t want to punish them or feel they should be punished. What they did was wrong and someone should be telling them that. I think even if they go to juvie when they get out their parents will tell them it’s ok. I really hope they go and that little sliver of a chance of change will happen……..
9:57 am on September 23rd, 2009
Like this is surprising-this crap is happening everyday on buses and in schools.
9:49 pm on September 23rd, 2009
Looks like, what I imagine a Gang initiation would be…..
I hope someone(in that area) comes forward and offers the kid that got beaten, classes in martial arts and couseling, to give him the confidence and strength to move forward with success and no bitterness.
Kudos to Steve Raines and your parents!
10:21 pm on September 23rd, 2009
although the lessons would be great, martial arts would do no good in that tight quarters and being out numbered and yes I mean race. Those boys cheering on would of had a field day. I would of done same thing, more so use my arms to protect my skull. Feels like I am talking about a tornado drill LOL
5:54 am on September 24th, 2009
I have said this for years, that anyone who stands to the side and cheers on this type of behaviour is as guilty as the one doing it. I live across the street from a High School and 2 Junior High Schools. I have seen 50-60 students show up outside of the building I live in to watch some fight during lunch hour or after school. It is sickening to see these kids cheering a fight on.Cell phones in hand , taking pictures and recording it. I have yet to see a student step in to break it up.Because it so close to the school grounds the students who were fighting usually get a suspension if not expulsion from school.The onlookers who stood there and cheered get nothing.More often than not when I go to get my phone to call the police , school staff has been informed and the students run away. I was really happy to see that the 2 boys were given 2 years suspension from school. They had this boy cornered on a school bus with nowhere to go. I also liked the fact that the people who cheered them on were also given suspensions.I think more schools should take this type of action.I don’t care what the fight was about, racial , bullying whatever. The fact is they assaulted this boy , there is no rational or reasoning behind it. Not everything needs to be turned into a “racial”situation, that is only adding fuel to the fire.
12:12 pm on September 24th, 2009
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/5EA8C1CE3151B4F38625763A0074E71F?OpenDocument
updated info.
7:21 pm on September 24th, 2009
KUDOS to Steve Raines for being a decent kid & stepping into that nonsense. Bus driver should be fired. He could have turned on the flashing lights and stopped the bus so Steve wouldn’t have to do HIS job and break up the fight.
As far as that ignorant woman and her speech about the “chirruns” getting an edumacation…she can go fuck herself. Would she be standing up there if it had been reversed? Don’t think so
Hopefully the victim can stop riding the bus and catch a ride with someone…can’t believe he just sat there & took blows to the face
7:37 pm on September 24th, 2009
Please tell me you’re not blaming this poor kid for ANY part of this. They beat him because he was very clearly passive and non-confrontational. Would I have liked to see their faces if he did surprise them and fight back? Sure, but he was greatly outnumbered and who knows how much it would have escalated, especially with the bus driver doing nothing. Also, he could have faced charges himself, which sucks IMO since he didn’t start it, but that’s the way it is unfortunately. There is no reason for HIM to have his future ruined.
5:27 pm on September 25th, 2009
No no no…I’m not blaming the victim AT ALL. In the video it looks like his arm are down while that asshole grabbed his neck with one hand and delivered blows with the other. I’d think human nature would have you throw up your arms to protect your face. I didn’t mean that he should throw punches back…
5:49 pm on September 25th, 2009
In fact, blacks are charged with a disproportionately HIGH number of hate crimes.
People should always research statements before they make them. The information is out there.
8:40 pm on September 25th, 2009
Hi,
New here but I just wanted to make a quick suggestion,
“Hopefully the victim can stop riding the bus and catch a ride with someone”
if everyone who feels sorry for the 17 year old boy sends him a few dollars like I did, he could afford his own used car and drive himself to school everyday.
I called that school and they said just send it to them with a note attached as to what it is for. I would like to think that there are people there who are honest enough to make sure my $40 gets to the boy to help him buy new glasses.
10:08 pm on September 25th, 2009
As to what that mother said with respect to children needing an education, well, yes they do. But parents are teachers as well, especially when it comes to morally correct behavior. Plus, I’ve always heard that education is a privelege, not a right. Looks like those bullies just forfeited that privelege for awhile.
11:47 am on September 29th, 2009
im not sure what happened to this generation of high school students. it just makes me sick. i caught this on the news this weekend from the great city of chicago. im not sure how to do a video link but im posting the address to the article, there was a fight caught on video only the victim didnt make it. not sure if ya’ll go back on these, but i just felt this should be put out there.
http://news.aol.com/article/derrion-alberts-beating-death-captured/690024
7:47 am on October 3rd, 2009
I was the child that others attacked frequently and was severly abused at home so I didn’t stand up for myself untill well after I became an adult so I was beaten by many students the back of a bus when I was 12 and attending Oak Grove elementry in Fla. So I know far too much about this as it is, nothing was ever done as my stepmother thought it was funny and a reason for a new beating for my cowardice and even commented to the other children about “keeping me in line” when she dropped me off at the stop on future dates. The parents who are protesting the suspension of their children should have to go to parental classes to instill better morals in their children as what they did was wrong AND life-altering for the victim. They are not victims in this but instigators wich does warrant punishment for behavioral correction but this will only work if they realize that is what it is and not if they are told it is wrong and they are being treated unfairly. Good kid for trying not to fight but I wish he had of beat the breaks off those kids. Now they are “tough guy heros and he will be harassed and bullied even farther. The bus driver should have pulled over and stopped this !
8:12 am on October 3rd, 2009
P.S. Veronica you are sooo right , It happened to me many times and was usualy 2 or 3 kids but the worst was when I did fight back. I was beaten by about half the bus and it took weeks to heal.( All while catching hell from Ginger and her egging them on a couple of times a week) I remember I had taken a board game to show and tell and most of the pieces had beed stomped and broken from the assault. Getting on the bus the next day the driver asked me what happened to you and I just said “you know” and went to my next session. She saw me get off the bus crying , bleeding and swelling many times. People don’t care. If there is no law to punish them.
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