INDIANAPOLIS — Attorneys for the 7-year-old boy's mother, who has filed a lawsuit against Indianapolis Public Schools following an attack caught on video, is thanking the community for its support.
Attorneys Catherine Michael and Tammy Meyer released a statement on behalf of the mother, who 13News is not naming at this time.
The mother said she is "seizing this crucial moment to call for substantial reforms throughout Indiana’s school systems to enhance student safety for her child and others."
Below is the mother's full statement:
“I cannot express enough thanks to our community, the media, and the IPS PTA for standing with us during this harrowing time, your support has not only comforted us but has ignited a crucial conversation about the safety of our children in schools. Thank you for your advocacy. Every child deserves to learn in an environment that is safe and nurturing. I am committed to ensuring that the tragedy my child endured serves as a wake-up call for all involved in our education system. It is my deepest hope that this painful episode leads to significant changes that will protect countless other children from ever experiencing similar harm or having to go through what our family did. This is not just about my child; it’s about all the children in our schools. I want our painful experience to be the catalyst for positive change across Indiana. We have an opportunity to turn our outrage into action, to ensure that no child ever again has to go through what my child did."
The alleged incident caught on camera happened at George Washington Carver Montessori IPS School 87, located at 2411 Indianapolis Ave. near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Fall Creek Boulevard.
The recorded incident came to light during a parent-teacher conference on Nov. 1. Parents were meeting with the teacher, regarding the 7-year-old boy's mother's concerns as to what was happening at the school.
During the parent-teacher conference, the teacher was allegedly going to show a video of the classroom environment to the parents. However, instead of showing that video, he inadvertently began showing a different video, in which the 7-year-old boy was being attacked by another student.
(NOTE: 13News is not sharing the full video of the attack, which was sent by the boy's and his mother's lawyers. In the report, 13News has also decided to remove the audio of the boy being attacked due to the disturbing nature of the incident.)
"'Are you done yet?' That's the teacher saying that to these children as he's beating up on this little boy. 'Are you done yet?' It's shocking," said Meyer.
In the video, you can hear the attacking child continually say, "don't mess with me," while the boy getting hit is crying.
Toward the end of the video, the 7-year-old boy who was attacked can be heard saying through his cries, "I didn't mess with him," before the person recording the video is heard telling the boys to "go back to your spot."
IPS Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson shared her first public response April 24.
13News previously asked IPS to discuss the incident after a lawsuit was filed on behalf of the 7-year-old boy and his mother on April 16. All requests for public comment were denied. Instead, the school district released Johnson's response in a video more than a week later that was addressed to students, staff and families.
"It has been an incredibly tough time for our community the last few days," Johnson said in her update April 24. She described the now-viral video as "appalling and disturbing."
On April 25, the IPS Board of School Commissioners held a meeting about the culture of School 87.
"We are in crisis, and we are reeling, and our families are so disappointed at the lack of communication, and we're so hurt that the abuse of a child happened in our building," said the president of the PTA at George Washington Carver School 87.
Nearly 30 parents who spoke at the meeting, hoping the video is a wakeup call to administrators and the board.
"In the past 18 months, at least 23 staff have left our school. I stand here with the same sinking feeling in my stomach that the shock value of that disturbing video sparks the change 87 has been yearning for," a School 87 parent said.
Along with the district's external review of the policies and protocols, the board says it has created a student safety task force.
According to the board, it will have an update on the student safety task force by the end of May.