Mother outraged over bus stop beating

LEBANON, Ind. (WISH) - A Boone County mom is considering legal action against Lebanon Community Schools after she said her son was brutally attacked at a school bus stop Tuesday.

The mother, Michelle Leisure, calls the incident a brutal attack but both Lebanon police and school officials call it “horseplay.”

Leisure said her eight-year-old son, Jonathan, has bruises on his ribs and sternum after several other kids were fighting and attacked him at the bus stop around 8:30 that morning.

Jonathan, a third grader at Stokes Elementary, is also an ongoing heart patient who has had several surgeries. Leisure said he was pushed to the ground, kicked, hit and one girl knee-slammed him in the chest while he was down. She said several parents watched and did nothing. Now, she wants Lebanon Schools to take responsibility under state bullying laws.

“I want the legislation on bullying to be pushed," Leisure said Thursday. “I spoke with other parents in our community that have had problems with the schools not protecting our children."

The Lebanon Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor said they're looking into the case but also need supervisory help from parents.

“Bus stops, both the early morning pickup and late afternoon drop-offs, are always areas where we ask for parents’ assistance because we assume that responsibility the moment the child steps on the bus. But we want those bus stops to be safe and accident-free as much as possible," said Taylor.

Leisure said her son spent six hours at the emergency room at Riley Hospital. She thinks someone should pay the medical bills from the incident.

She said she’s not getting cooperation from all of the parents of the kids involved in the incident. Taylor said the other children have been lectured on the incident and that the school district may consult further with its attorneys.