FLOSSMOOR (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — More than a hundred students walked out of Homewood-Flossmoor High School Thursday afternoon to call for more safety at their school while a sexual assault investigation is underway.
The walkout caused both directions of traffic to halt while students took over the street in front of Homewood-Flossmoor High School.
Students carried signs that read “Stop rape” and chanted “No means no.” The mother of a student who, on Monday, accused another of sexual assault, told WBBM how she feels about the collective student response.
“Proud,” she said. “It makes my daughter feel empowered. It makes her feel a little less embarrassed.”
The woman, who remained anonymous to protect her daughter's identity, provided an update on her daughter's condition.
“She’s at home recovering,” the mother said. “Aside from the physical, you know, taking a bunch of medications and things like that, mentally, she has waves, up and down, and she’s just trying to cope.”
The mother said it’s unacceptable that her daughter was alone in a room with a student of the opposite sex with no camera and no adult checking on them. Some students echoed that sentiment.
“I don’t like all the stuff that’s happening there right now,” one student said. “It’s so much crazy stuff. Why are the security not there?”
“Homewood-Flossmoor’s not doing what they’re supposed to do,” said another student. “They’re not protecting the girls or the boys. They’re not doing what they’re supposed to do.”
School officials said they are cooperating with police and are following proper protocols.
Several parents told WBBM that they feel their own children’s safety was compromised in prior assault or sexual assault incidents, and they said the school has a history of sweeping these types of incidents under the rug.
“It’s about image,” said the mother of the student who made the accusation. “Part of the reason that most of us moved here is because of the school. People that really want to be near this type of school, they want to send their children to good schools, better schools, safer schools, well then, imagine how parents are going to feel when it’s not those things.”
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