Jefferson Co. student claims he's being harassed because he's gay

Jefferson Co. student claims he's being harassed because he's gay

March 31, 2004

By MAGGIE POTEAUX
6 News Anchor/Reporter

JEFFERSON COUNTY (WATE) -- A 15-year-old Jefferson County boy says he's the target of abuse at school because of his sexual orientation.

Jefferson County Superintendent Jeff Moody said he received a formal complaint of the harassment Wednesday.

The grievance, filed by the Barton family in White Pine, says Jefferson County High School doesn't provide a safe and secure environment for Joey Barton to learn. "I fear for his safety," said his mother, Lorie Barton. "I fear for physical attacks."

Joey explained the harassment further. "It's just the little, oh my God you're gay thing and like...we don't like faggots and queers."

His mother said two recent incidents highlight what they claim has been happening for months.

According to Joey, on March 26th his school bus driver singled him out because of his sexual orientation. The student, who has bipolar disorder, admits that he exploded. "I don't even remember what all I said. But I was like cussing at her because like this is like the third time it's happened and nobody's done anything about it."

School officials won't disclose what happened on the bus. But the next Monday, March 29th, Joey was told he was suspended for three days after his bus driver filed a complaint against him. The reasons were given as insubordination and disrespecting the driver.

Later the same day, Joey claims he was targeted again because he's homosexual. This time, he said he was slapped by another student at school. "Well he was saying stuff underneath his breath and looking at me. And I said, 'Turn around and quit looking at me.' Well, that was the time where he threw his chair across the room and got up and came and smacked me. And that was pretty much it."

The other student was suspended for five days.

Lorie Barton said she's spoken to school officials at least three times in the past about the taunting her son suffers, always being told that school officials will handle it. This time was no different.

Superintendent Moody said Jefferson County school officials don't tolerate harassment.

High School Principal Dale Schneitman met with the bus driver and the Joey Barton's parents on Tuesday. The principal said that administrators and teachers address the issue of harassment with the entire student body at the beginning of every school year.

In April, the principal heads to Nashville in search of a program for the entire school system, to better address harassment.