Student suspended, victim transferred over bullying incident caught on video

CHESTER, Pa. -- Officials in the Chester-Upland School District have suspended a student seen on video bullying a classmate, and will transfer the victim to another school.

In a statement released Wednesday, the district said change will mean the child will have to take another bus, which was the scene of the incident.

"Bullying is cruel, unacceptable conduct, and we will not tolerate it anywhere within the jurisdiction of the district schools, including - by extension - our school buses," said Superintendent Gregory Shannon in the statement.

Action News spoke to the boy and his mother on Tuesday.

Rhonda Fayall said she was upset and angry over the video that shows her fourth grade son, Brahim, sitting in his seat while another child slaps him multiple times.

The video was taken by another child who was afraid to get involved, but wanted to be able to prove what was happening.

"If I see a little of the video it just tears me apart," Fayall said.

The incident on the video happened last week. Fayall says when she asked her 10-year-old why he didn't make the other kids stop, she was heartbroken to find out there are actually several kids who have singled out Brahim and have been bullying him for months.

"He said 'Mom, if I hit one I have to fight them all. So, he said that he didn't want to fight," Fayall said.

Brahim described the episodes of bullying as everything from mean to downright degrading.

"They bully me a lot, like smacking me in the face, and rubbing spit on my hand and smacking me with it and spitting on me in general," he said.

Meanwhile, this video has been shared so many times on Facebook that it caught the attention of Dr. Claudio Cerullo, executive director of an organization called Teach Anti-Bullying Incorporated.

"I'm going to get counseling for the child, whatever they need we will support him, we will try to put a smile back on his face," Cerullo said.

Fayall said on Tuesday she was open to a school transfer, saying her goal is to put her son in a nurturing educational environment and to put this episode of their lives behind them.

"I am mad at the boy, I'm frustrated, but I do have a forgiving heart and I put it in God's hands," she said.