GLOUCESTER, MA — A transgender teenager in Massachusetts is healing after allegedly being attacked, kicked, and stomped on by other high school students at a party.
Jayden Tkaczyk, 16, said he was at an outdoor party in Gloucester Friday night when up to a dozen adolescents attacked him and called him homophobic slurs. They chased Tkaczyk into the woods, where police discovered him. He stated that he was brought to a nearby hospital and treated for his injuries, which included a broken bone under his right eye as well as scratches and bruises all over his body.
“I was scared, but I told myself that if I escaped and got out, things would eventually improve,” Tkaczyk told The Associated Press. “It was terrible to get hit. I believed I’d die, but I tried to stay cheerful.”
Tkaczyk’s mother, Jasmine, said she was horrified when she received word that her son was in the hospital.
“This was my worst worry for Jayden. As a mother of a transgender child, my greatest fear for him has been that he will be assaulted. “Getting that phone call was one of the most horrifying experiences. It was necessary to see him in the hospital due to his health. When I got the call, I was just praying that he was still alive.”
The Office of the Essex County District Attorney stated that it was “aware of the serious allegations” and was collaborating with the Gloucester Police Department on “this active and ongoing investigation involving juvenile parties.”
It declined to speak further, including whether anyone had been apprehended.
Tkaczyk, who has been afraid to leave his house since the attack, said he hopes the youths are held responsible.
“Nobody has been arrested. “No one has been charged, and nothing has happened to the children who caused this,” he explained. “If people or if the city wants to make this city better, then they should start taking action to help their community be safer.”
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell stated that MassEquality, an LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy organization, has contacted the family and that they, along with others, have contacted her civil rights division and children’s justice unit.
Campbell stated that her office is aggressively following up on the issue.
“What we’ve heard is horrific to say the least, but like any investigation, we do it thoughtfully, we do it in partnership with community and constituents, and that won’t change here,” she told the reporter. “So we’ll do what we can to investigate this quickly and thoroughly.”
Tkaczyk, who attends a technical school, claims he has long been bullied because he is transgender, including being kicked from the Gloucester High School football team. He stated that the district had previously done little to address his bullying allegations, but he hopes that this will change now.
“Bullying reports have been stacked up and stacked up and stacked up on kids bullying me not just mentally but physically,” says Tkaczyk. “I’ve been bullied for over 11 years. It’s been a terrible and hard struggle for me, and I don’t tell anyone how bad it is.”
During a press conference Tuesday, Gloucester Public Schools Superintendent Ben Lummis stated that the district is taking the claims seriously. However, the district did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
The principal of Gloucester High School, James Cook, addressed a letter to the school community on Tuesday informing them of the weekend attack and asking youngsters “struggling with the news of this incident” or anybody who “feels unsafe for any reason” to seek out a school employee.
“Creating a safe and inclusive environment that supports all of our students, staff, and families is our number one priority,” according to Cook. “Although this is a difficult message to send the night before our first day, I have confidence that our staff will come together to welcome all students back to GHS.”
+ There are no comments
Add yours