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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

SC - Football Player Says Attacked By Teammates For His Jewish Heritage


FORT MILL, S.C. -- More than 1,000 people have viewed Mims Driscoll's tearful pleas on YouTube. The Fort Mill mother of six has even started a Facebook page encouraging other parents to stand up to bullying after she said her 15-year-old son, Caspian, was beaten because of his Jewish heritage.

The Fort Mill Middle School student spoke exclusively with NBC Charlotte about the incident, which happened October 10 on the football team's bus in the school parking lot.

Caspian said when he asked his teammates to quiet down so he could call his Jewish grandmother to wish her a 'Happy Birthday,' they began shouting sexual and antisemetic insults.

"They were saying stuff that was just horrific. Stuff I couldn't say on TV because it's probably illegal," said Caspian. He claimed friends had said things like this before, but not about his grandmother.

"We are teenagers. We bag on each other and stuff. But this was different," admitted Caspian.

The 8th grader said he tried to put his earbuds in to drown out the insults but the slurs continued. He said the final straw for him was when he tried to get off the bus.

"The guy pushed me down and said 'Sit down, you stupid Jew!"

Caspian and his teammates began fighting. The coaches had already gotten off the bus and Mims Driscoll saw the end of the fight from the parking lot.

The Fort Mill School District does not comment on individual incidents involving students or punishments, however, Driscoll told NBC Charlotte four boys -- including her son -- were suspended from school for two days and kicked off the football team for the remainder of the season.

"Because of the 'No Tolerance' policy, my son was given the same punishment just for fighting back," said Driscoll. "Those types of policies don't work. We need to educate students. I don't want any of the boys involved to have a stigma. I believe in forgiveness. The district should stand up though, and admit this happened here in Fort Mill."

Driscoll said she would like Fort Mill, which does teach about the Holocaust in 3rd and 8th grade, to invite a survivor to speak with students. Caspian said he hopes no one else has to go through what he did and also wishes the school would let him play in the football team's final game this week.

A police report was filed through the school resource officer but no charges were made against any of the students.


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