Iowa Parents Defend Bullying of Teen With Aspergers Syndrome
Iowa teen Levi Null, 13, struggles with Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD. He's always been picked on, but recently the bullies began ramping up their behavior: they started making videos of Null at school—some of them videos of his involuntary movements caused by Asperger's—and then posting them online with school computers.
According to Null's mother, the videos showed students hitting Null, smacking him, and teasing him all while the teachers are shown turning away. On Monday, Josh Ehn, principal of Melcher-Dallas High School, told WHOTV that the video was taken offline, destroyed, and all those involved were disciplined.
But the parents of the kids involved in the video are now standing up for their kids. The father of the teen who uploaded the video, Levi Weatherly, says Null is asking for it. "I would say three-fourths of this stuff he brings on himself and and probably a fourth of it is bullying that shouldn't be going on," Weatherly said.
Since airing the news story on Monday, the news station has received over 100 comments— not in support of Null and his family—but in support of the bullies. Most of the comments blame Null for his disabilities:
Jamie Harrison wrote: "He called my nephew a nasty name and my nephew Cole cocked (sic) him in the mouth. I`m proud of my nephew for doing that."
Nate Goof wrote: "This kid has done things to get people mad that I think he could probably control."
The principal ultimately ruled that the video did not even "meet the criteria" for bullying and the school board President, Bob Lepley, says he stands by the principal's decision.
Now, because of the backlash, Null is afraid to go to school. However, his mother also notes that at least two students have come forward to apologize for their behavior, saying they didn't know how much it impacted Null.