Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

RKP5637

(67,111 posts)
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 10:40 AM Sep 2013

S.C. Teacher Bullied Student Mercilessly, Called Him "Gay Boy," Until Student Attempted Suicide

It's time the bullies got their asses kicked out of positions enabling them to carry out their sadistic behavior.

Ingram is still a math teacher at West Ashley High School, according to the school's website, checked this morning (Friday).


Update: School appears to have removed all faculty listings?
http://westashleyhigh.ccsdschools.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=2879849&pageId=4153728

Article - see >>> http://www.alternet.org/investigations/sc-teacher-bullied-student-mercilessly-called-him-gay-boy-until-student-attempted?akid=10893.1119768.hHXc6J&rd=1&src=newsletter892873&t=7

According to lawsuit, teacher repeatedly belittled the student in front of his peers, calling him names in class such as 'Gay,' 'Gay Boy,' 'Mrs. Pete,' 'Mrs. Peters."


September 6, 2013 |
CHARLESTON, S.C. (CN) - A high school math teacher in South Carolina bullied a student so mercilessly as "gay" that the boy tried to kill himself, the teen and his mother claim in court.

John Doe and his mother sued the Charleston County School District in the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas.

The teacher, Alan Ingram, is not named as a defendant, though he is named throughout the complaint. Ingram was the boy's teacher at West Ashley High School in Charleston, the family says in the lawsuit.

"In early April 2013, Ingram began bullying plaintiff in class, in front of plaintiff's classmates, by telling plaintiff's classmates that plaintiff was 'gay,' and by calling plaintiff names and belittling him in the presence of his classmates. This continued on a daily basis for an extended period of time," the complaint states.

"During this time, Ingram repeatedly belittled plaintiff in front of his peers, calling plaintiff names in class such as 'Gay,' 'Gay Boy,' 'Mrs. Pete,' 'Mrs. Peters,' and other names.

"Ingram repeatedly told plaintiff's classmates that plaintiff was in a homosexual relationship with another male classmate and that they were 'boyfriend and girlfriend'.

"Further, Ingram encouraged and asked other students in class to pick on plaintiff as well and similarly belittle him during classes."

The boy's mother, who filed the lawsuit as Jane Doe, said her son felt particularly helpless because Ingram was in a position of authority,

"Plaintiff was made to feel that he could not report this to the school administration; and further, plaintiff felt he could not appeal to any of his classmates due to the alienation and isolation created by Ingram," the mother and son say in the complaint.

The teacher's bullying gave boy "emotional and psychological distress which was manifested by physical illness," his mom says. As a result, she says, her son "attempted to commit suicide by hanging himself."

He has since withdrawn from school, is being educated at home, and is undergoing mental health counseling, his mother says.

The family seeks damages for gross negligence and pain and suffering, and costs of the lawsuit and medical bills.

They are represented by Philip Hammond, with Uricchio, Howe, Krell, Jacobson, Toporek, Theos & Keith.

Ingram is still a math teacher at West Ashley High School, according to the school's website, checked this morning (Friday).


36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
S.C. Teacher Bullied Student Mercilessly, Called Him "Gay Boy," Until Student Attempted Suicide (Original Post) RKP5637 Sep 2013 OP
That teacher should be more than fired. Rex Sep 2013 #1
Definitely IMO too. n/t RKP5637 Sep 2013 #10
Subhuman POS. marmar Sep 2013 #2
My thoughts exactly. backscatter712 Sep 2013 #4
Post removed Post removed Sep 2013 #3
Oh please. Plenty of straight people hate on GLBT. bettyellen Sep 2013 #7
Truly. The old "he must be gay" stereotype is simplistic and counter-productive Orrex Sep 2013 #12
Exactly- it is offensive. ANd a roundabout way of dropping the issue back on gay people. bettyellen Sep 2013 #15
Great point--I wasn't even thinking of it that way, but you're completely correct Orrex Sep 2013 #20
Sometimes that is the case. n/t RKP5637 Sep 2013 #9
Most homophobes are just stupid, hateful straight people. QC Sep 2013 #17
This is a person that definitely chose the wrong profession etherealtruth Sep 2013 #5
Jeez, and this guy isn't even a gym teacher! mysuzuki2 Sep 2013 #6
This teaches behavior indicates he probably has some pretty serious RKP5637 Sep 2013 #8
WTF! City Lights Sep 2013 #11
Fortunately, with the communications of today, POS's like this get worldwide RKP5637 Sep 2013 #16
As bad as the abuse to this particular student was, the other students Arkansas Granny Sep 2013 #13
Definitely. It's a horrific example of behavior by one of authority especially RKP5637 Sep 2013 #18
Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2013 #14
This message was self-deleted by its author RKP5637 Sep 2013 #19
Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2013 #21
So you are blaming the victim's parents for this bigots bullying? maddezmom Sep 2013 #22
Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2013 #25
We need to examine what is causing hateful bigots and homophobes to get a pass from maddezmom Sep 2013 #28
as a gay teacher in the South dsc Sep 2013 #29
No. The culprit is the bullying monster of the teacher. Period. kcr Sep 2013 #30
I quit high school because I was often bullied like this. hunter Sep 2013 #23
Cases like this are just ammo for the anti-public school brigade Taitertots Sep 2013 #24
Oh for heaven's sake! LiberalAndProud Sep 2013 #26
Judging from this thread alone, I guess only gay people hate gay people. Smarmie Doofus Sep 2013 #27
Thank you Cronus Protagonist Sep 2013 #31
Yep, agree, must be gay is used too often, IMO does not apply to RKP5637 Sep 2013 #32
A very good friend of mine lives in West Ashley. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #33
Excellent! n/t RKP5637 Sep 2013 #36
*)&@&*^ - damn Iliyah Sep 2013 #34
For future reference ... School's don't obsess over their websites. Igel Sep 2013 #35

Response to RKP5637 (Original post)

Orrex

(63,215 posts)
12. Truly. The old "he must be gay" stereotype is simplistic and counter-productive
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:19 AM
Sep 2013

I hate George W Bush; that doesn't mean that I'm secretly a closeted George W. Bush.

Some homophobia might be motivated by such issues of self-loathing, but there is no basis for concluding that this explains most (or even many) examples of violent homophobia.

Orrex

(63,215 posts)
20. Great point--I wasn't even thinking of it that way, but you're completely correct
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:40 AM
Sep 2013

Those durned gays!

QC

(26,371 posts)
17. Most homophobes are just stupid, hateful straight people.
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:26 AM
Sep 2013

Admittedly, there are plenty of self-loathers, like Roy Cohn and J. Edgar Hoover, but homophobia is mostly a straight issue.

etherealtruth

(22,165 posts)
5. This is a person that definitely chose the wrong profession
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 10:52 AM
Sep 2013

There is something "criminal" about this kind of verbal abuse

mysuzuki2

(3,521 posts)
6. Jeez, and this guy isn't even a gym teacher!
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 10:53 AM
Sep 2013

Seriously, this man is beyond despicable! He should never be allowed in a classroom again. Want to bet this is not the only kid he's bullied?

RKP5637

(67,111 posts)
8. This teaches behavior indicates he probably has some pretty serious
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:05 AM
Sep 2013

underlying mental health issues in addition to this displayed behavior. Definitely unfit for a teaching position ... and many other positions.

RKP5637

(67,111 posts)
16. Fortunately, with the communications of today, POS's like this get worldwide
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:25 AM
Sep 2013

visibility of their callous lives and despicable acts. In the past, the news would have been probably hidden on the back page of the local paper.

Arkansas Granny

(31,518 posts)
13. As bad as the abuse to this particular student was, the other students
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:20 AM
Sep 2013

were also affected. To witness bullying like this and feel unable to do anything to stop the abuse is a horrible feeling of helplessness. To others, seeing a person in authority act in such a way might encourage them to emulate such behavior.

I'd be willing to bet that every student in that classroom was adversely affected by the actions of this lowlife.

RKP5637

(67,111 posts)
18. Definitely. It's a horrific example of behavior by one of authority especially
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:37 AM
Sep 2013

in a classroom setting with young impressionable students.

Response to RKP5637 (Original post)

Response to Name removed (Reply #14)

Response to RKP5637 (Original post)

Response to maddezmom (Reply #22)

maddezmom

(135,060 posts)
28. We need to examine what is causing hateful bigots and homophobes to get a pass from
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 12:11 PM
Sep 2013

People like you who want to blame the child's response on his parents for not raising him right, in your opinion.

dsc

(52,162 posts)
29. as a gay teacher in the South
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 12:11 PM
Sep 2013

I am flat out appalled by your post. If he is too terrified of who he is to do his job, he should quit.

kcr

(15,317 posts)
30. No. The culprit is the bullying monster of the teacher. Period.
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 12:14 PM
Sep 2013

Please. Yes, let's not "hyperventilate" about the teacher that bullies a student to the point of attempted suicide. Your post is disgusting and that attitude is the reason there are teachers who get away with this.

hunter

(38,317 posts)
23. I quit high school because I was often bullied like this.
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:51 AM
Sep 2013

But not by teachers.

What trouble I had with authority was they'd overlook the bullying or they'd sometimes accuse me of provoking it.

I hated school from middle school onwards because I was skinny, reactive, and just plain odd sometimes.

 

Taitertots

(7,745 posts)
24. Cases like this are just ammo for the anti-public school brigade
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:52 AM
Sep 2013

Our whole education system is fundamentally "Leave your children with strangers, you can trust that we won't abuse them". Every case like this fundamentally undermines public education.

LiberalAndProud

(12,799 posts)
26. Oh for heaven's sake!
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 11:55 AM
Sep 2013

The teacher is a hateful homophobe. What in the world does his sexual orientation have to do with it? 'He's so hateful he must be gay," isn't helpful to this conversation. I have known plenty of straight people who are polluted with hate. It isn't the exclusive domain of "closeted gay folk." Some churches preach this shit. Some people believe hating on the gay is a holy rite. And you know what? Some of them are STRAIGHT.

 

Smarmie Doofus

(14,498 posts)
27. Judging from this thread alone, I guess only gay people hate gay people.
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 12:08 PM
Sep 2013

Question: Don't straight people ever do *anything* wrong ?

Cronus Protagonist

(15,574 posts)
31. Thank you
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 12:21 PM
Sep 2013

Despite the assertions of all the armchair psychiatrists here, you can't tell if someone's gay by who they bash and beat.

Homophobia is not always caused by repressed homosexual urges.

RKP5637

(67,111 posts)
32. Yep, agree, must be gay is used too often, IMO does not apply to
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 12:26 PM
Sep 2013

all cases. Some are homophobes and just plain hate and can be any sexual orientation.

 

kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)
33. A very good friend of mine lives in West Ashley.
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 01:15 PM
Sep 2013

I passed this on to her via FB so she can spread it around the community. This teacher needs to be shunned by the community and drummed out of town (after being criminally prosecuted for this obvious child abuse/hate crime).

Igel

(35,320 posts)
35. For future reference ... School's don't obsess over their websites.
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 02:20 PM
Sep 2013

They put information up that needs to be put up. Eventually.

They have far weaker mechanisms for ensuring that all information that should be taken down is taken down. The person who posted the staff page probably has 20 000 other things to do and is unrelated to the office that fired or suspended the teacher.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»S.C. Teacher Bullied Stud...