By Braden Bates
Click here for updates on this story
SPERRY, Oklahoma (KJRH) — About 50 students gathered outside of Sperry High School on Feb. 3, supporting three teachers who were suspended after an incident led to three students being charged with rape by instrumentation.
The incident went back to October when three students allegedly held another student down, sexually assaulting him with a hairbrush through his clothing.
The victim’s lawyer Greg Denney previously told 2 News when the incident was reported to school officials – it was kept secret.
Denney said the victim and other students were all punished for “horseplay in the locker room.”
On Jan. 28, State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the State Board of Education suspended the teaching certificates.
Some Sperry students are now asking for Head Football Coach Robert Park, Coach John King and High School Principal Richard Akin’s suspensions to be lifted.
“I’m not protesting against the victim. I’m protesting against the unfair suspension that I believe our loved faculty members that were suspended was very wrong,” said Sydney Cavin a senior who organized the protest.
She said she wants the three teachers back by graduation. She added she’s known them since Pre-K and they’ve meant a lot to her, saying she cried when their certificates were suspended.
2 News also talked with the family member of one of the coaches.
He said Walters’ actions were too quick.
“The way things happen today, things happen very quickly, so we’re just here to help show our support and these gentlemen so they can get their jobs back,” said Darrell Macey.
The District Superintendent Dr. Brian Beagles also released a statement on the protest:
2 News is going to continue to follow this case as it moves through the court system for the three students As for the teachers a hearing’s expected to take place in March on their suspensions.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
