Student punished for fight prompted by alleged racial slur

SOUTH FAYETTE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A local father claims his son was forced to take action after someone shouted a racial slur at him at South Fayette High School.

His son was the one punished after another student allegedly called him the "N-word."

Blaine Jones, a prominent local defense attorney, told Channel 11 the administrators and the school have failed not just his son, but also the community.

The end of the fight was captured on a cellphone video in which a black student can be heard asking a white student: "What did you call me?"

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"The kid said, 'I called you the N-word, what are you going to do about it?' So that's when my son got physical with the other young man and they got into a confrontation," Jones said.

Jones is defending his son, a 15-year-old freshman, who was suspended for three days after a lunchtime fight inside the high school.

"This is unbelievable," Jones said. "My kids that attend this district have dealt with racism repeatedly."

Jones told Channel 11 his son has attended the district since kindergarten, and is an honor roll student who has never been in trouble before. He said all of his kids have been verbally and racially attacked and that nothing has been done to address it.

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The district superintendent said he couldn't comment on any discipline, only saying that:

"We’re working with the families involved in the alleged incident."

"School administrators that are supposed to protect my son, against bullying, against racial and verbal abuse, they have have failed, not only my son, not only my family, but they failed this community," Jones said.

Jones met with school leaders Thursday. Sean Logue, other student's attorney, sent the following statement:

He was reviewing his social media and saw a spoiler for the new Avengers movie.  Jokingly, he said a derivative of the "N" word.  He did not say it to anyone and did not mean it to be offensive in any way.

Prior to this incident, he was friends with the other boy.  Something incorrect was relayed to the other young man and that individual walked behind my client and put him in a light choke hold.  My client thought he was joking; the other young man then actually choked my client.

My client did not intend to start a fight, did not intend to insult the other young man, and is remorseful about his part in the incident.

My client's family believes that South Fayette did a full investigation into the incident and punished BOTH boys appropriately; we believe both boys were given the same punishment.  The family would now like this to be behind them and do not seek publicity.

The South Fayette Township School District released the following statement Thursday:

"The safety and well-being of all our students is our number-one priority, and we take all incidents that violate our policies seriously. Upon becoming aware of yesterday's incident, our administration immediately investigated. Based on the findings, both students have been disciplined and are facing the consequences of their actions according to our policies. We cannot discuss the details of the incident or related punishment."

Cox Media Group