US: Student attempts suicide by ‘hanging himself’ after teacher bullied him with anti-gay slurs
A student in South Carolina has attempted suicide after a school teacher allegedly used anti-gay slurs against him, calling him “gay,” “gay boy,” “Mrs Pete,” and “Mrs Peters.”
According to a report issued Friday by the Courthouse News Service, the student, identified as John Doe, and his mother, identified as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit against the Charleston County School District in the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas.
The alleged anti-gay teacher is identified as Alan Ingram throughout the complaint.
Ingram was the boy’s teacher at West Ashley High School in Charleston. Court documents state he repeatedly bullied the boy in front of his peers.
A statement reads: “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 says: “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.”
John Doe’s mother reported the teacher’s bullying gave the boy “emotional and psychological distress which was manifested by physical illness.”
As a result, her son “attempted to commit suicide by hanging himself.”
The boy has since withdrawn from school, and is being educated at home. His mother said he is undergoing mental health counseling.
Amy and David Truong sued Houston’s Cy-Fair Independent School District shortly after their son Asher Brown, 13, took his life because of alleged bullying based on his Buddhist beliefs, size and sexual orientation.
Asher’s parents claimed the district had repeatedly ignored the problem.
