Attorney: Student guilty of Perry Meridian HS assault gets no jail time
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Perry Meridian High School student found guilty of seriously hurting another pupil in a September assault at the campus will receive no jail time.
That’s according to attorneys for the family of the student attacked. The attorneys say the guilty student will wear an ankle monitor and take anger management classes.
The case and another months earlier that injured a teacher at the same high school have highlighted concerns about the safety of students in public schools across the state.
In Indiana, criminal cases involving people younger than 18 are not public record unless the youth is charged as an adult.
The parents of the attacked student say he was attacked in a hallway. One of the attorneys for the family of the attacked student said he didn’t see the punch coming. It left a gash on his forehead that required stitches, the attorney said, and the perpetrator was out of juvenile detention before the injured student left the hospital.
I-Team 8 in September invited the mother of the student accused of the assault to come for an interview, but she never showed up. She’d earlier told I-Team that there were two sides to the story, and her child was involved in a fight and did not attack anyone.
Shortly after the attack on Sept. 13, a statement from Perry Township Schools said one of its police officers and other school personnel allayed the disturbing assault and “isolated incident.” The district declined to provide details, but said the student would be disciplined.
The district, in its statement, did not say additional security measures would be considered.
The attorneys for the family of the assaulted student on Wednesday called for stronger safety measures within the school.
A news release from the attorneys, Catherine Michael and Tammy Meyer, said, “This incident underscores a growing and alarming pattern of violence and bullying within Indiana public schools, and Perry Meridian High School, in particular, has seen increased incidents of such behavior towards students and staff. The family of the injured student is demanding answers and urgent action from school administrators, who, they believe, have failed to provide a safe environment for their child and others.”
Meyer said in a statement, “When we talk to families during our investigation in this case what we hear reveals a long term and ongoing violent atmosphere within Perry Meridian High School, with frequent attacks, fights, bullying, and significant safety concerns raised by many students, parents, and staff.”
The September assault followed a student’s attack on a Perry Meridian High School substitute teacher in Feburary. I-Team interviewed the 75-year-old teacher in March, and he expressed his joy at charges being filed against the 16-year-old student.