(Bourbonnais, Illinois) An elementary school bus driver has been charged with leading a homophobic attack on a 10-year old student passenger.
The Kankakee Sheriff’s Police Department said that the boy was taunted by the driver who then encouraged other students to chase and beat the child.Chief Deputy Ken McCabe said the incident occurred on a Bourbonnais Elementary School District bus which was returning students to their homes last Friday.
McCabe said the driver repeatedly called the boy “gay.”
”When the boy got off the bus, the driver encouraged several other students to go after him and tackle him. Our investigation shows that occurred,” McCabe told The Daily Journal.
He also said the driver is under investigation for joining the students in chasing the boy and grabbing him.
Bourbonnais School District officials would only say the driver has been terminated.
Russell A. Schmalz, 46, is charged with mob action, endangering the life of a child, and battery.
Posts
1 comment:
This guy needs more than to be fired from his job. He needs to be prosecuted for a hate crime!
Illinois has a hate crimes law against sexual orientation, real or perceived!
Illinois hate crimes law explicitly addresses actual or perceived sexual orientation. § 720 ILCS 5/12-7.1 (2001).
The State Attorney in Kankakkee County is John Boyd. His contact info is:
John Boyd
Criminal Division
Kankakee County Courthouse
450 E. Court St.
Rooms 301-306
Kankakee, IL 60901
Phone: 815-937-2930
Fax: 815-937-3932
I'm going to write a letter and urge him to prosecute for a hate crime!
I'm also going to copy the Regional Superintendent, Kay M. Pangle, I-KAN Regional Office of Education. Here's her contact info:
Kay M. Pangle, PhD
Regional Superintendent
I-Kan Regional Office of Education
189 East Court Street
Kankakee, IL 60901
815-937-2950
Post a Comment