When I first read this story from Farwell High School, I had to read it twice. It was shared by a mom named Trina June, and it quickly spread across Facebook because the whole situation was shocking. As a student myself, I know how it feels when someone touches your belongings without permission. However, what happened to her son went far beyond anything I ever witnessed in school.
Trina began her post by saying she had had enough. It was clear she was worn out by everything happening to her boy. No parent wants to reach the point of begging a school to keep their child safe.
The whole issue started during football season. Her son bought new cleats and used them in only one game. After that game, one cleat went missing. To make matters worse, someone cut up his mouthpiece, and the face shield he purchased with his own money got scratched. When I read that, I recalled a time when someone hid my sports bag at school, and I felt irritated the entire day. I can’t imagine how that boy felt seeing his gear destroyed.
She wrote that her son felt so discouraged that he considered quitting football. But he couldn’t stop, as that would mean he couldn’t play basketball. So he kept playing, despite someone continually interfering with his things.
Trina and her son approached the coaches, hoping for help. Instead of showing concern, the coaches only asked if her son was sure he hadn’t lost the cleat himself. That part frustrated me because if a student seeks help, at the very least, you should offer support and understanding.
Things kept getting worse. This week, a janitor at the school sent Trina a picture that made her sick. It was her son’s school shoes. Someone had thrown them in a toilet, and they were soaked in urine. The conditioning teacher had instructed all boys to leave their shoes inside the locker room lockers, so he followed those instructions. Still, someone went in and did this to him.
After seeing the picture, Trina rushed to the school. She spoke with the principal and the athletic director. They told her the cameras didn’t show anything clear, and they needed time to review the footage frame by frame. They even asked her son if he had locked his locker. Trina felt like they were trying to blame him for what had happened.
When she expressed her frustration with the situation, they told her that if she wanted to stay upset, she could contact the superintendent. I think anyone would be even angrier if the school responded that way in such a serious situation.
She also mentioned that these same school officials had allowed bullying to continue for a long time. When her son finally reacted and flipped someone off, he faced punishment and received ISS, missing basketball practice. Meanwhile, the kids who bullied him faced no consequences. I have seen similar situations in my school as well. Often, only the reacting kid gets in trouble, while the real troublemakers face no repercussions.
She also noted that the janitor who sent her the picture was yelled at for trying to help. That part shocked me since he brought her attention to what had happened.
Trina ended her post by saying she was done staying silent. She stated she would go as far as necessary until someone took responsibility. She even said that Farwell schools feel like a joke now, and she won’t stop fighting for her son.
The post gained significant traction online. People reacted quickly. Some were shocked and angry. Some comments were simple yet powerful, like “what the hell.” Others suggested she contact the state or the Lansing Board of Education.
Some parents said that at times a kid must stand up for themselves. One dad, named Mason Paulick, wrote that if his child handled the situation on their own and got suspended, he would treat them to ice cream. His comment received a lot of attention because many parents felt the same way.
Currently, Trina said the school has not updated her on anything. She still does not know who did this or what the school plans to do next. This whole situation made me think about student safety and how schools sometimes take too long to respond when serious issues arise. Every student deserves to feel safe at school, and no child should ever find their shoes in a toilet. You may also be interested in: Autistic Son Left Out During Wright Brothers Basketball Games And Parent Finally Speaks Up
