Kenneth Theriot was too terrified to face the bullies on the school bus. Which is why the 5-year-old from Houma, Louisiana, was found wandering alone on the side of the road about a half mile from his school, Legion Park Elementary, on Monday, October 24.
The kindergartner was so desperate to avoid the children who tormented him on the bus that he lied to a substitute teacher and said he had permission to walk home alone, his mother Kathleen Hotard told Us Weekly.
“Kids throw spitballs and call him names,” said Hotard of the bullies. “He was pushed and his nose hit the stairs of the bus and he broke his nose.”
Hotard says the school board promised that they are investigating the October 24 incident, but she wants Kenneth transferred to another district where he’ll be safe.
“Legion Park doesn’t seem to take any action,” she says. “We’ve been dealing with this since Kenneth was 4. He’s been shoved in the halls and in the bathroom … and slapped. I’ve gone to the school and reported it so many times trying to get progress made.”
“We’ve asked for a change of school, some counseling for Kenneth, an apology for letting him walk away and a promise that they would change the policy on dismissals to make sure that this doesn’t happen again,” says Hotard. “All the requests have been rejected because apparently that’s asking too much from the school district.”
Hotard says her son Wesley, 12, tried to start an antibully club at the school, but his idea was turned down. “He came home and went on Microsoft Word and made guidelines for this club,” she reveals. “He made rules for it, and he presented it to the principal and was rejected.”
Legion Park Elementary declined to comment when contacted by Us Weekly.
