There are crimes, and there are heinous crimes. This story certainly qualifies as the latter.
BOSSIP previously reported on an incident on the South Side of Chicago where a group of school kids jumped a Black mother named Corshawnda Hatter who was walking home with her two children. The attack was captured on multiple cell phone cameras and uploaded to social media, racking up millions of views across platforms.
ABC7 Chicago reports that the assailants, seven of them, all minors, have been criminally charged, according to the Chicago Police Department. The group that stands accused of the beating consists of three 10-year-old boys, one 10-year-old girl, an 11-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy, and a 13-year-old girl.
Hatter says that her son was constantly being bullied and would sometimes be accosted by older schoolchildren. She also accuses the school of failing to address the issue after she made them aware of the harassment.
“For two years, and they have not done a thing,” she said. “They see me coming they will run or tell security to tell me they are not there.”
Back in November, the Chicago Teachers’ Union released the following statement following the attack:
“We’re as saddened as anyone to see parents and students suffer violence. Every family should show up to school knowing they’ll be safe, loved, and cared for and every educator and community member should be equipped with the resources to foster a beloved community.”
What has proven to effectively work to reduce violence in our communities and at schools is exactly what is missing here: safe passage workers, restorative justice coordination, and after-school programming that engages young people and nurtures their interests.
The children responsible for this violence should not be imprisoned but they need a very hard lesson on how the real world works.
