A Missouri boy with Down syndrome has been suspended from school for alleged sexual harassment but his mother says he just loves to give hugs. CLick below to read the story.
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Central Middle School in Park Hills accused Aleczander Scott, 14, of harassing a bus aide on the ride home from school on Wednesday, KSDK.com reported.
School district officials released a statement describing the alleged incident:
“Alec approached (the school bus aide) on the bus for a hug and she told him no and tried to push him off her. He proceeded to lay on her and (mimic a sex act, while clothed). She tried to push him off her and hollered for help. When she finally was able to get him off of her, he ran to the back of the bus. After a lot of coaxing, Alec finally got up and got off the bus.”
But Alec’s mother, Tonia Fujimoto, argues that he was just being affectionate, and that he loves to give hugs to everyone.
“There was nothing sexual in nature about it,” his mother told KFVS12.com. “He doesn’t know anything about sex.”
Alec’s sister, who witnessed the incident, also believes he did nothing wrong. KFVS reported that she, the aide and the driver were the last people left on the school bus at the time. Alec became excited when the bus overshot their stop and seemed to be headed back to school.
Fujimoto told KFVS that her son has a habit of hugging people and jumping up and down when he gets excited — an action she believes was misinterpreted as a sexual gesture.
Central R-3 School District superintendent Dr. Desi Mayberry told the Daily News that school officials met with Alec’s parents Monday night and came to a resolution, though he would not go into details.
“We believe the issue has been resolved, so I really don’t want to go into anything that would rekindle ill feelings,” he said.
He declined to comment on when Alec would return to school.
Mayberry told the Daily News that the bus aide is no longer pressing charges, and that, to his knowledge, the case was never referred to juvenile authorities.
