A mother said her child with special needs was assaulted inside the locker room at Ooltewah High School. Two students have been suspended, one was suspended for verbal abuse, another suspended for inappropriate touching.
The mother asked to remain anonymous in an effort to protect her son's identity. School officials said told WRCB-TV they launched an investigation immediately after learning about the incident.
But for the boy's mother, it isn't enough. She wants other parents to hear her son's story.
This Ooltewah mom said her son was assaulted in gym class, while he was changing clothes.
“A boy came up from behind him and had a shoe and was trying to shove it up his rectum. He did have his clothes on, but however it is still inappropriate," she said.
She said another student made a reference to the 2015 rape of an Ooltewah basketball player. Three students were charged in that case.
“He said ‘remember what happened with the pool cue.’ He kinda showed, ya know, like a pool stick movement," the student's mother said.
Her son's friend reported the incident to a teacher. The school followed school policy and mandatory reporting laws by filing a police report and contacting the Department of Children's Services.
“I don't want the kids to have any jail time or anything, I just want them to understand what this could do to the other child they are doing this too," she said.
This is the second time in two years Ooltewah High School has investigated an alleged assault. This mom wants others to know about what happened to her son so it won't happen to any other child.
“You don't think it will happen to your child but then when it does it hits home. I just want the parents, the children, everybody to be aware. Teach their children, what they do to other children, can effect their lives seriously," she said.
The mother has retained an attorney. The same law firm that represented the victim's family in the 2015 Ooltewah rape case.
It's not clear how long the two students will face suspension. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case. The children involved could face simple assault charges.