The family of a York High School student with disabilities has determined they will not press charges after a video surfaced of the student being shoved and bullied by another student while others stood by and watched, a press release from the Elmhurst Police Department said.
The incident, captured on cell phone video from students, depicts "an aggressive physical altercation by a student toward another student with a disability while a group of bystanders watched and laughed," a letter sent to families by District 205 Superintendent Dr. Keisha Campbell read.
According to district officials, the incident is currently under investigation by school officials. "Students involved in the situation were interviewed and significant school consequences were issued," Campbell's letter goes on to say. "Interviews and tips will continue to be fully examined to ensure a full understanding of all details pertaining to this incident, including the moments before and after what are shown on the video."
However, later this week, the Elmhurst Police Department released a statement revealing new details about what took place, and indicated that the family of the student pushed has declined a formal police investigation.
"Both the parents of the student and school administration have decided that this matter would be handled through the school disciplinary process," the statement says.
According to police, footage pieced together from two different cell phone videos shows that five students, including a student with special needs were "willfully engaged in physical contact while other students observed."
"At one point," police say, "the student with special needs was pushed and fell to the ground."
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The statement from police goes on to say that an investigation by school administrators revealed "that the student with special needs, who is a member of the wrestling team, engaged in wrestling behavior with four other students, two of which are his teammates on the wrestling team."
The footage also shows that a student who is not a member of the wrestling team appears to push the student with special needs after physical contact was made, police say.
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"No students were physically injured during the incident," the statement from police reads.
According to the statement, the incident took place inside a boy's student restroom.
"The Elmhurst Police Department has offered counseling services to the juveniles involved," the statement from police reads. "Based upon the facts known at this time, the Elmhurst Police Department will respect the family’s decision in the resolution of this matter."
In the days after the incident occurred, in addition to letters sent to families by the school's principal and the district's superintendent, a Change.org petition started by a student at the high school claims that similar events have occurred "numerous times" at York and surrounding schools, but that administrators "turn a blind eye to bullying."
"We the students of York, feel compelled for immediate, radical change for the better with appropriate consequences," the petition reads, which as of Wednesday had gathered more than 9,800 signatures says.
"We are hoping the administration recognizes the situation and finds a consequence fitting as such," the petition says. "We are sick and tired of this mistreatment."
