A family member of a student involved in the fights at Berea High School says he was attacked and has condemned the protests that have ensued.
Greenville County Schools Director of Media Relations Tim Waller, shared the statement of the student’s grandmother Thursday. The statement from the Grandmother says her grandson was called obscenities and when he verbally addressed the student doing so, he was attacked and put in a choke hold. The Grandmother said the protesters are “gas lighting” the situation and trying to make this into a racially fueled altercation. She also said she feels the actions of school personnel to restrain the students was justified.
State House candidate Derrick Quarles has interjected himself in the situation. Quarles said in a social media post “ after talking to parents all morning they all say the same thing, that Berea High administrators are bullies and discriminate heavily against students of color” .There are more political ties to the situation, as two of the students involved in the fights are the nephews of State House candidate Bruce Wilson.
Below is the full statement from the student's grandmother as provided by Greenville County Schools.
To Whom It May Concern;
I am the grandmother of the 16 year old young man who was assaulted by another student. my grandson was not a friend of this student , my grandson said that this student was calling him and the people he was talking to obscenities and when my grandson verbally addressed what was being said he was assaulted and put in a chokehold where he had trouble catching his breath, this vicious and unprovoked attack could have very well injured my grandson . These so called community activists do not speak for myself nor my family they are disregarding the initial assault not “horse play” like they keep calling the assault, there has to be a line of zero tolerance for students that take it upon themselves to be bullies and terrorize, attack put their hands on others. Especially in this violent and vicious manner it is clear that these brothers have a lack of self control because it shows in the video the lack of respect for authority and we don’t feel safe. I don’t think that my grandson is safe especially with adults gaslighting this situation and trying to say that “horse play started a race fueled altercation with school staff “ we believe that restraining the brothers was justified and saved my grandson from a possible more vicious attack. Also, my daughter was not able to see the school video will these so called activists be allowed to view school video and further use social media to down play the assault on my grandson? My grandson had been bullied since elementary school and nothing was ever done he has the right to an education and he loves Berea I would hope that he can come back to school without being ostracized or assaulted again.
