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Go, Fight, Win! Beating Doesn't Break Boy Cheerleader's Spirit
Filed under: News, In The News, Weird But True, Bullying, Health & Safety: Tweens, Behavior: Tweens, New In Pop Culture
Back off bullies, is the message an 11-year-old boy cheerleader is sending bad guys on playgrounds nationwide.
Despite a fight that left his arm broken and lots of name-calling, Tyler Wilson says no bully is going to stop him from being a cheerleader.
"I'm going to keep going. I'm going to make a lifestyle out of it," the Findlay, Ohio, tween tells ABC News.
Meanwhile, Kristy Wilson, the sixth grader's mom, is putting up her dukes, saying she is furious with educators at Glenwood Middle School and its independent cheerleading squad for not stepping in to prevent the bullying.
She tells ABC News she knew her son would take some flak from classmates for joining the Flag City Youth Cheerleading Squad, but she never imagined he would be beaten up so badly.
"The first thing I wanted to make sure of, when he said he was going to join cheerleading, that he understood the possibility was there that he would get teased and made fun of and he was OK dealing with it," Kristy Wilson tells ABC News.
She says Tyler, who is the lone guy on the cheerleading team, loves gymnastics and tumbling and wanted to join the squad despite her warnings that the boys at school might tease him. The trouble started when some of his middle school classmates spotted him cheering the day before school started and the teasing began.
"I knew that some of the kids where teasing him, and we talked about ways to deal with that," Kristy Wilson tells ABC.
Things went from bad to worse recently when Tyler was walking home from school and two of his alleged tormentors approached him and punched him. The incident allegedly included one of the boys picking up Tyler and slamming him on the ground, breaking his arm.
Kristy Wilson filed a police report, but tells ABC News she was shocked at what she heard when she met with Glenwood Middle School officials to discuss the incident.
"I didn't find out until we went to the school that things were starting to get aggressive before this fight occurred," she tells the network. "When I went to the school, about two days after it happened to discuss Tyler's story, the principal said there was an incident Monday and the Friday before that the boy who started the fight had jumped on Tyler's back and tried to start a fight."
Kristy Wilson says if she had known Tyler was being physically targeted she would have stepped in to stop the situation, and would have gone as far as removing him from the school.
"I really wish the school would have let me know a lot sooner, so I could have dealt with it sooner," she says.
Lt. Charles Wilson, of the Findlay Police Department, tells ABC News the other boys involved in the fight have been charged in youth court, one with felonious assault, and the other with a simple assault.
"He is still nervous about everything and what happened and his spirits are down because he can't fully participate in cheerleading, still," Kristy Wilson says. "He's fighting his way through it. Everybody he's talked to, he says he is not giving up."
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ReaderComments (Page 4 of 9)
9-29-2010 @ 4:51PM
New York said...So what is your point????
9-29-2010 @ 3:42PM
Michelle said...My daughter used to be on an "all star" cheerleading team. There were a few guys on the team, and I will tell you that they were awesome. These days it does not matter what gender you are; if you have an interest in something, you should go for it. Obviously, some of you that have commented must be from the back woods (surpised you even know how to turn on a computer, much less type). You go for it Tyler!
Reply
9-29-2010 @ 3:42PM
Ted said...Bullies are the real sissies. They never confront anyone on their own, it's always two or more on one. The victim is always on his own making him an easy target. The victim here stood alone which took courage, bullies have no courage, they are cowards. The victim in this case is the real man, the two cowards who broke his arm are obviously on the road to becoming loosers in life. Jail will most likely become their home in the years to come.
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9-29-2010 @ 3:59PM
Ted said...Bullies are the real sissies. They never confront anyone on their own, it's always two or more on one. The victim is always on his own making him an easy target. The victim here stood alone which took courage, bullies have no courage, they are cowards. The victim in this case is the real man, the two cowards who broke his arm are obviously on the road to becoming loosers in life. Jail will most likely become their home in the years to come.
Reply
9-29-2010 @ 3:50PM
joe said...Oh... Ears... Your just so cute and progressive... but you will hit a wall of Truth... not relative or subjective truth and it will be You that hits your knees.
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9-29-2010 @ 3:45PM
mike said...wwaaahhh so he's getting picked on bfd, he better get use to it,, right or wrong, it's gonna happen, oh wait maybe we need a national dont hate boy chherleader law,, yea that will solve it
Reply
9-29-2010 @ 4:58PM
New York said...No we need a National Anti Bully law that will prosecute bullies & expel them from school permanently no exceptions.
9-29-2010 @ 3:52PM
Doc said...My husband was a gymnast, high diver, swimmer, cheerleader. Girls swooned over him. He also lived in L.A., near Watts. He encountered gangs every night on his way home from school. He learned to fight and hold his own. Later, our son had to prove himself, too. He knew to never start a fight, but never to run from one either. He only lost one fight and that was to a girl much bigger and older than he was and he didn't really fight back at her. He was always the defender of the poor kid being picked on and could teach the bully a lesson. In fact, he was sent to the principal's office for fighting once time and received a spanking. The principal called me at home, explained and laughed when he told me my son turned around after the spanking and said, "Thank you very much. I'm sure I deserved it." Too bad they took away the discipline from the principals and schools. We've lost control of a lot of kids today as a result and the parents aren't doing their job either.
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9-29-2010 @ 9:04PM
Joe Williams said...Our oldest son was on the cheerleading squad when he attended a Catholic High School here in Springfield and he had a riot. If he got any flack he was sharp witted enough to handle it without violence; he is now flying Apache helicopters into and out of Afghanistan and Iraq so I don't think that he was traumatized by the experience. Hang in there young man, you are doing great.
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9-29-2010 @ 3:56PM
niki said...GEORGE W BUSH-CHEERLEADER in College-You can look it up!
Wassamatta-you think he's a "sissy".?
Reply
9-29-2010 @ 3:57PM
Brad said...How many of you evil idiots who are nasty about this guy being a cheerleader remember that our former president George Bush Jr. was a CHEERLEADER in college, no less. Do you remember seeing the picture? Look it up. Then, shut your mouth.
Reply
9-29-2010 @ 3:58PM
johnsonbrown40 said...Well what can you say, the mother and the cheerleader boy had to know he was going to be bullied and made fun of.
If he believes that strongly in it he should put his skirt back on and go out there and do it.
Reply
9-29-2010 @ 4:06PM
kerry said...LIL SISSY
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9-29-2010 @ 4:07PM
Brad said...Yes, remember George Bush, (the second) our president was a cheerleader in COLLEGE>
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9-29-2010 @ 5:56PM
johnsonbrown40 said...Yes he was right next to your father. How stupid can you get.
9-29-2010 @ 4:09PM
parnase6 said...Tyler...you rock dude!
#1. You'll be in better shape than those other guys! Cheerleading is very physically demanding!
#2. You'll get all the girls to date you!
#3. You'll be able to hold your head high, becuase you did what you believed in!!
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9-29-2010 @ 4:11PM
assistsd said...Lesee...
You get to hang around a lot of girls who don't mind you holding their legs and grabbing their butts.....
And the guys jump on him.
Who's the homo?
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9-29-2010 @ 4:18PM
White Crow said...Tyler, my young man. I am proud to hear and see you are standing in pride in who you are. In my Culture, Honor and Choice are held close by each individual and should be respected by all people. At birth you were gifted whith three things, Life, Spirit and Choice. I pray you success in all of your life choices. Always stand for who you ARE with a strong Spirit,not what othere my THINK you should be. Even when the battel is difficult always hold on to and KNOW who you are.
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9-29-2010 @ 4:25PM
Thomas Pendlebury said...BCHS Class of 56, one of the funniest, finest men I ever knew went out for Cheerleader! "2bits, 4bits, 6bits a Dollar. Everyone for Boulder Stand up and Hollar. Thomas Elmo Burt. He's gone now but that afternoon is still with us. Tyler has my vote f''sure!
Master Chief Pendlebury USN ret.
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9-29-2010 @ 5:10PM
melissa said...give me a break I say go for it kid. My nieces were cheerleaders and I saw boys at the tournaments they are great for where the strength is needed.
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