Where were the chaperones that the kid mentions multiple times? Why did one of them not step up when he saw several total strangers approaching his group of students? I suspect they just weren’t around.
From Sandman’s statement:
Because we were being loudly attacked and taunted in public, a student in our group asked one of our teacher chaperones for permission to begin our school spirit chants to counter the hateful things that were being shouted at our group.
I think they were chaperoned, but the chaperones were as powerless as everyone else. The ratio may have been too low, but I don’t know that an adult could have stopped this any more than a teenager.
How is the Diocese of Covington going to back off its story that its students acted badly? They had an apology out within hours of the first story breaking. If the kids really aren’t guilty then why did they apologize?
This is on the Diocese. I do think it acted prematurely. A more cautious statement about condemning racism and having the matter “under serious investigation” may have been a wiser move while waiting for all of the facts to come in.
A lot of posts in this thread presume to know a lot, but none of us have all of the facts.
This kid and his fam likely lawyered up because they’re afraid of him getting penalized and his college entrance chances ruined and they also might be planning to sue the school or diocese. Naturally his statement is designed to make himself and the other kids look totally innocent.
A damaged reputation is no small matter. It could haunt him for the rest of his adulthood and is especially unjust if his statement is truthful. Even if he and his buddies
were in the wrong, expulsion will suffice. Internet shaming and mob “justice” can even drive people to suicide. Online critics make a terrible jury.
Again, outside of the protesters hurling threats and homophobic insults, I don’t know either way who was at fault. Maybe neither of them were, and they misunderstood each other.
This thread is full of
a lot of opinions and not enough information on which to base them. Healthy skepticism is our best friend.