According to CBS News, attorneys representing a Black teenager who was stabbed outside a high school in Los Angeles argue that school administrators could have prevented the attack if they had addressed previous racist incidents.
A group of boys, one of whom had a butcher knife, chased down a 14-year-old Black teenager, resulting in a stabbing incident outside of Verdugo Hills High School on December 9. Brad Gage, one of the teen’s attorneys, confirmed the details of the incident.
According to Gage, the assault was driven by racial bias. He emphasized that the other boys involved were of Latino descent, and his client experienced intense fear from the moment he began attending high school in this area.
After the stabbing incident, authorities detained the 14-year-old student and placed him in handcuffs based on suspicions of assault with a deadly weapon. However, the boy’s lawyers assert his innocence, claiming that he acted in self-defense.
Gage expressed his disbelief, stating that he firmly believed that this ordeal should have never been inflicted upon him.
According to Gage, the December stabbing could have been prevented if the school had taken disciplinary action after the teen was physically assaulted and subjected to racial slurs in the boys’ bathroom in August. Attorneys claim that the teen was attacked during this incident.
“They must take immediate action according to the education code when a student is being threatened,” said Gage. “However, they failed to do so.”
The lawyer stated that the student’s mother raised her concerns about her son’s safety during a meeting with school officials in September. However, the school reportedly proposed that the boy transfer instead of taking action against the other students involved. In response to these concerns, the mother mentioned that she intended to transfer her son after he completed the current semester.
“I firmly declined and stated, ‘No, my son will remain here. He is thriving and will continue his education.’ It deeply troubles me that they simply remained passive and took no action,” she expressed her disappointment.
In a recent development, the lawyers representing the Black teenager have taken legal action against the school by filing a government claim. The claim aims to seek approximately $10 million in damages for the injustices suffered by the teen.