Detroit school counselor accused of bullying student with special needs

Summary

A Detroit mother is outraged after a disturbing video shows her special-needs son, Christopher, being bullied in class by a seventh-grade student, with a school counselor encouraging the fight. The counselor, who was supposed to be supervising the students, escalated the situation by provoking Christopher and even placing a bet on the outcome. Christopher's emotional distress and tears were captured on camera. The mother is now seeking legal action, and the counselor has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation is underway.

Takeaways

• 😀 A Detroit mother is outraged after a video shows her special needs son being bullied in the classroom.
• 😀 The bullying incident occurred at Brewer Academy on Detroit's East Side.
• 😀 A school counselor was present in the classroom during the bullying and even escalated the situation.
• 😀 The counselor provoked a fight between a seventh-grade student and a second-grade student, leading to further distress.
• 😀 The mother, Jessica Fuqua, is heartbroken and has never seen her son cry like that before.
• 😀 Christopher, the second-grade student with special needs, was sent to the seventh-grade classroom to see the counselor.
• 😀 The counselor took on a teacher-like role and refused to send Christopher home or call his mother.
• 😀 In the video, the counselor aggressively talks about Don King, provokes a fight, and even bets money on the outcome.
• 😀 Christopher was reduced to tears as the seventh-grade student bullied him further.
• 😀 Christopher's older brother, Kareem, is also a student at Brewer Academy and has been bullied by teachers in the past.
• 😀 The family hopes that the situation leads to some positive changes and that accountability is taken for what happened.
• 😀 The Detroit Public Schools District has placed the counselor on administrative leave and is conducting a police investigation.

Q & A

What incident triggered the outrage of a Detroit mother?

The mother was outraged after a video showed her special needs son being bullied in the classroom, with the disturbing involvement of a school counselor who escalated the situation.

Where did the incident take place?

The incident took place at Brewer Academy, located on Detroit's East Side.

What role did the school counselor play during the bullying incident?

The school counselor was in the classroom at the time of the incident and was seen provoking a fight between a seventh grade student and a second grade student, which only escalated the situation.

How did the counselor encourage the fight between the students?

The counselor aggressively spoke about Don King, asked Christopher if he wanted to fight, and even took money from her purse to bet on the outcome of the fight.

How did Christopher, the second grader, react to the bullying?

Christopher, who has special needs, was ridiculed and brought to tears by the bullying. He was embarrassed and upset, with his mother noting that she'd never seen him cry like that before.

What was the involvement of Christopher's brother in the situation?

Christopher's 13-year-old brother, Kareem, is also a student at Brewer Academy. He expressed that if he were in the class, he would have defended his brother. Kareem also shared his own experiences of being picked on by teachers at the same school.

What action did the school district take in response to the incident?

The school district removed the counselor immediately from the building and placed them on administrative leave pending a police investigation.

How does the mother feel about the situation?

The mother, Jessica Fuqua, is heartbroken and outraged. She feels powerless to help her son in that moment and is seeking legal action to address the issue further.

What did the district's statement say regarding the incident?

The district issued a statement confirming that the counselor was removed and placed on administrative leave while a police investigation is conducted.

What is the family's hope for the outcome of the situation?

The family hopes that something positive can come from this negative situation and that justice will be served in some way.