Gay Indiana High School Student Faces Expulsion for Carrying a Stun Gun to Protect Himself from Bullies
Darnell "Dynasty" Young (pictured, left, with twin brother Darell), a gay student at Tech High School in Indianapolis, is facing expulsion for carrying a stun gun his mother gave him to protect himself from a group of bullies who threw rocks at him and threatened to beat him up.
Watch the interview with Darnell "Dynasty" Young, AFTER THE JUMP...
The problems started when he moved from Arizona to live with his mother, the Indianapolis Star reports:
When he arrived at the school, his new classmates were more confrontational. His outgoing personality and unique accessories made him stand out from the other students. Even some of the other gay students were unfriendly, he said. The bullying started in October, he said.
"All day I'd be on my guard," he said. "It never got better. It always got worse."
Young broke down in tears when a rumor circulated that he performed sex acts in the bathrooms. He said he thought about committing suicide.
Young says he was taunted every day.
Young and his mother said they told the school about the bullying more than 10 times, but Young said Tech did not formally investigate their complaints except for once when a student who taunted him during class was taken to the dean's office and punished. Grimes said she called the school about students following Young home from the bus stop, but school officials said they could not do anything since the students were not on school property. When she complained other times, they brought up his sexuality. Larry Yarrell, the Tech principal, said school staff were trying to help Young by suggesting that he "tone down" his accessories.
The small weapons come in a range of voltages. They do not shoot bullets but give an electric shock that temporarily incapacitates people. Unlike Tasers, they don't have barbs that shoot out of the gun and embed in people's flesh. Instead, the shooter must place the gun on or close to people to shock them. They're not considered deadly under Indiana law, but they are not allowed on school property.
One day, when the bullies threatened him again, he pulled it out and fired it in the air. School officials were then alerted that he had it, and he now faces expulsion.
It is illegal for a minor to carry a stun gun. The question here is, what is a student or parent to do when faced with relentless, and possibly violent anti-gay bullying that the school will do nothing about.
Watch the interview with Darnell "Dynasty" Young, AFTER THE JUMP...
Nothing justifies what Dynasty had to endure. Especially since he was not bullied in his previous school in Phoenix. The intense bullying began, based on this report, immediately as he moved to Indianapolis to go to school. So, either Darnell completely changed his behavior and personality from his move to Indianapolis, or he was bullied in Indy for what wasn't a problem in Phoenix. Which should not be a surprise to anyone.
The desire, to borderline desperation, to fit in, is very strong across the board. Don't believe it's just students. But it's teachers too. And the principals. The students not saying who the bullies were and the kids who surrounded Dynasty and attacked in daily, the school board who basically sat on their hands and did nothing as this was going on. No-one should ever take for granted how far people will go to be in the "in" group. And if you don't conform, if you don't go out of your way to repress your individuality in the means of being "normal", this is the tragedy that happens. High school brings forth the most disgusting clickish behavior. Hopefully Darnell stays strong, he's a very brave young man!
Posted by: Francis | May 3, 2012 9:09:05 AM
Hey Lori- Kiss my ass. I have been there, apparently you haven't. People act like "Well you survived." Yeah, I survived because when I had had enough, my parents finally packed us up and moved to a place where white people could be safer. See, it doesn't matter why the "bullies (criminals)" are doing it, the school system doesn't do anything about it. It's always your problem, whether it's because you are white or because you are gay, or in my case both.
So kiss my ass Lori. I support this kid, and I understand why he had a taser. Because a week after I stopped going to Prince George's County Public School, one of my white (and probably gay) class mates was attacked by the same animals who attacked me, and he was permanently damaged by a pipe blow to his head.
Fxxx you Lori. Just fxxx you.
Posted by: David Hearn | May 3, 2012 9:23:35 AM
Scott - You are wrong. I am a member of the NRA and the NRA has no position on gay rights. The NRA's position is on your second amendment right to keep and bear arms becoming, being, and remaining UNINFRINGED. But the NRA is doing battle with California, Illinois, DC and other places that simply don't get the meaning of "uninfringed" and "civil right".
Posted by: David Hearn | May 3, 2012 9:31:25 AM
@ David Hearn: I am a FORMER N.R.A. member. I did not renew because of some disturbing reports I'd read about the N.R.A's actions. There was a report about a legal consulting firm being dropped despite acheiving gun law victories, supposedly because they also worked on Gay marriage. There was also all this gushing over Ted Nugent who pretty much makes it clear he loathes us. I'd like to re-up, like my hunting and shooting privleges, but N.R.A. has a fence to mend with the LBGQT communities or so I perceive at the moment. If you feel my information is wrong or out of date, please post links to the updates. Until then, at least we have the "Pink Pistols".
Posted by: ROBERT BAKER | May 3, 2012 10:29:52 AM
This is a little off topic, but I'm curious as to whether any bullied student has ever filed restraining orders against their bullies? How would that affect the buly being bale to go to school and would it push school amdinistrators to take threats more seriously?
Posted by: scott | May 3, 2012 11:04:08 AM
Wow. One, way to go guys, way to favor the butch twin like its some form of revelation.
Why the hate on Lori? Kids know you cant bring guns, stun or otherwise to school. To bring one is folly, ALL THE TIME. You know how I know that? Case in point, THIS kid brought a stun gun to protect himself from bullies, now he is expelled. Did he expect a different outcome?
There are other things he could have done. And maybe he knew this would happen and decided to do it anyway. If he wants to pay that price, why not?
Posted by: Fenrox | May 3, 2012 11:06:45 AM
@FENROX,
'Victims' must have no access to tools to defend themselves? Obviously, The Law [everything from police to the courts] can't be at this kids side 24/7 protecting him.
It's insane that in some places in the U.S. you can be prosecuted for DEFENDING yourself with a 'weapon'. I guess that's where the phrase 'Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6' comes from. Of course the U.S. is still in a far better position on these basic rights than the UK or western Europe, which are lost causes.
Posted by: ratbastard | May 3, 2012 11:17:47 AM
Robert Baker-
Unfortunately, the Democratic Party has decided to side against the Constitution on free speech, freedom of association, and the right to keep AND BEAR arms. Politics makes for strange bedfellows.
It's like when you post crime stat analysis on DU and the Whiny Bitches club sets in on you about your source. Well, when "mainstream" media won't even report on certain criminals then of course you'll find it on Fox.
Posted by: David Hearn | May 3, 2012 12:11:37 PM
Expulsion is clearly taking this too far. Yes, his mother shouldn't have given him the stun gun to use, but the kid used his judgement and didn't even use it on anyone.
No-tolerance rules with extreme consequences are cruel to use on minors.
Posted by: David R. | May 3, 2012 2:03:20 PM
WHY is he holding a pocketbook?
Is that where he kept the stun gun?
Posted by: mattsy | May 3, 2012 2:39:16 PM
My opinion is the stun gun is not a weapon any more or less than say a fist or leg. I would hate to see this child become another member in an ever lengthening list of "statistics." The school and board are the weakest links and should be the ones reprimanded. Hopefully this will create enough conversation amongst the community.
Posted by: mike | May 3, 2012 3:46:45 PM
Most urban public junior and senior high schools are a huge waste of money.They are trying to educate children who come from fatherless homes who have no sense of discipline. Those who come to school each day come ill prepared to learn. They come screaming and yelling on the school buses and the teachers spend most of their day trying to settle them down. Just look at the PSAT and SAT scores at these schools and yoy will find scores so low that they are not worth even reporting. We are spending $Billions on Urban education and it is a failure.
Posted by: jack | May 4, 2012 5:37:26 AM
No, urban schools may not be as successful as suburban schools, but the need for them is far greater than for schools in the suburbs. Maybe all you see is screaming, badly-behaving students, but to them, it may be the only time of their life where there is some degree of organization and purpose, something sorely lacking from their daily lives. As for this young man, I hope his mother goes out and hires the most brutal lawyer known to the state of Indiana. What those school officials said was not only unprofessional, it showed how the administration REALLY feels about gay people. What a bunch of cowards...defending the bullies yet punishing the victim. This is almost as ignorant as the Florida hazing case, where all 13 perps got off because they couldn't "prove" which blow killed the young man. WTF? Is it only in the stupid states of Indiana and Florida, or is this stupidity nation-wide? When is this nation going to grow up?
Posted by: millerbeach | May 4, 2012 5:53:35 AM
This is a perfect example of the problem with our justice system, educational institutions demonstrating the same ignorance that carries children to adulthood. An educational institution that refuses to protect children from bullying and disciplines the bullied children for finding a way to protect themselves should re-evaluate their process. I recommend this young man files a lawsuit against the school and the parents of the bully's and ask for them to pay for costs involved with changing schools incuding fee's for private school and request that they pay any legal fees associated with this action.
Posted by: BarryC | May 6, 2012 8:35:49 AM
The bulley rate is growing in America. The only way to stop it, is to stand up to it with what ever it takes. It is a shame it has come to having to protect yourself.
As far as the excuse it happened, it is either one excuse are another, that does not excuse the act.
Posted by: S Montgomery | May 6, 2012 8:46:39 AM
SHAME on the school faculty!! This student should have never had to go to such an extreme measure to protect himself. What happened to the "bullies?" Were they expelled as well?
Posted by: Denise | May 6, 2012 9:15:50 AM
Probably the school district think that his bullies just act following their religious freedom.
Posted by: lukebrux | Sep 2, 2012 1:09:30 PM
Public school IS a place for this brave kid. It is a place for EVERYBODY. If it isn't working for an innocent victim of bullying, then it is to be made a safe place that works for an innocent victim of bullying. I';m thankful for the Harvy Milk School in nYC
I came out to my guidance councilor in the 1980's, word got around and while I wasn't systemically "bullied" (I was a little bit) the fear and ostracism was obvious.
Another student who came out (or was outed) and graduated before me sued the school system, and won. It worked, somewhat, to my benefit, and the principal was, I learned later, looking out for me and came down hard on one particular sociopath - the only one I remember being obnoxious. He threw up on a faculty member at the Junior Prom, and years later killed himself. : (
Dynasty brought a weapon to school. Dumb, but well meaning mother he has. This really compromises his legal standing. What was he thinking? NOT the way to go there. He never mentions any physical threat, but I'm sure he felt one.
The bottom line: no weapons at school. And that includes the verbal weapons bullies use, and have used, and will continue to get away with, while Dynasty is punished for his material weapon. An unhappy ending for all.
Posted by: tomjck | Sep 4, 2012 4:37:55 AM