Autistic student attacked at DC charter school
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — A charter school student continues recovering after several people attacked him in a stairwell of the Washington Leadership Academy on Thursday.
Video of the attack surfaced online.
“Initial reaction was kind of shock,” said Yolanda Corbett, stunned after she first saw the video of the incident.
Her son, 17-year-old Tyler Corbett, is said to be fine physically. Emotionally, Corbett’s still waiting to see if there are any lingering effects from what happened.
“It definitely gave a different kind of sense of urgency and panic and anxiety,” Corbett said. “Overall…you’re not there to comfort your child when they’re in crisis.”
Tyler is also autistic.
“I have a desire to see justice and accountability happen for Tyler because he is a part of a fragile population by being autistic,” she said.
While hoping to see consequences, Corbett also has sympathy for those who attacked her son.
“I would like to see something concrete…Restorative support comes for them outside of them just being expelled and put into the community again so that they can cause pain and trauma to another family,” she said.
This is the second time, according to Corbett, her son has been attacked on campus. The first happened about five years ago while he attended Inspired Teaching Public Charter School.
Tyler Corbett did not go to school on Friday – the day after the attack. According to his mother, it will be his decision when he returns to the classroom.
“We are very disappointed in the violent incident that occurred on campus on Wednesday and are pursuing the strongest consequences allowable to hold those students accountable. We also sent out a notice to our student body reminding them of our mission and the consequences of unsafe or violent behaviors,” a spokeswoman for Washington Leadership Academy said in a statement to DC News Now.
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