Mother shares video of son being beaten in Platte Canyon High School locker room, calls for bullying prevention program
The Park County Sheriff's Office is investigating a report of violent bullying at Platte Canyon High School in Bailey. Janet Ball's son was the victim in the incident, which took place inside a locker room and was caught on camera.
"My son came home and he warned me. He said 'One of those boys that have been harassing me came up to me and said 'You mess with one of us. You're going to mess with all of us,''" she said.
That conversation took place soon after her son had gotten into an altercation with another boy following a dance. The locker room beating happened after that.
In a video posted on social media and provided to CBS News Colorado by Ball, viewers can see the boy punched, kicked repeatedly and being punched again.
Ball cried while viewing the video and after hearing the sounds.
"I can't listen to the video with it up. Because of the screaming," she said.
In another video captured shortly afterwards, the fight continues as Ball's older son tries to help his brother.
"When he called me he was screaming on the phone that he had been jumped and assaulted. And it was probably the most horrifying phone call. I ever got," she said.
A school resource officer was on hand quickly after the incident, and the school district told CBS News Colorado it will not comment on any details regarding discipline from the incident.
Ball says she wants school administrators to start a bullying prevention program.
"Stand up against bullying because, you know, kids shouldn't have to go through this at school. It should be a safe environment, you know free of bullying to receive the education that they need," she said.
Superintendent/Principal Mike Schmidt added, All public schools in CO are required to have an anti-bullying program - we are no exception. Our anti-bullying program is centered on our Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports program (PBIS), which we also supplement with anti-bullying literature distributed at regular intervals to our students and discussed during our weekly Advisor/Advisee periods. Additionally, our daily electronic announcements carry anti-bullying messages and our students are made aware of the anonymous reporting option of Safe-2-Tell (also advertised throughout our school and printed on the back of student ID cards). Had you asked me a question about that, I certainly could have given you this information up front.