Homophobic Bullying from the School Bus Driver

by Jennie Beeson at the National Youth Advocacy Coalition blog:


If you thought anti-LGBT bullying and assault was a problem that only occurred between students, think again.

Police reported that a 10 year old boy was bullied and assaulted by a mob of students that was prompted by the bus driver.

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(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.

Charged with mob action, endangering the life of a child and battery is Russell A. Schmalz, 46.
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When school officials, faculty, and staff are not enforcing anti-bullying and assault policies (and those policies don't even exist in all schools), LGBT students may not be able to trust the adults at school, either. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) reported in the 2007 National School Climate Survey that while teachers and school staff were less likely to make homophobic remarks in school, they were also least likely to intervene when homophobic remarks were made in schools. While we've been focusing on student-on-student bullying, maybe we should take a look at how these students' elders and role models treat LGBT people.

Coincidently enough, in many schools, this week is Ally Week, a week created by Gay-Straight Alliances across the country to encourage other students to be allies for LGBT people. Essentially, this means that students are organizing themselves to teach respect and responsibility to one another.

Now, maybe what schools really need is an Ally Week for adults.