Video footage of a violent altercation among high school students inside a school locker room was released Wednesday, prompting a parent to demand answers from school and school district officials.
The video captured in February by an onlooker shows a 10th grader at Upland High School being trapped in a headlock.
“It’s hard to see him go through when you can’t stop it or protect him,” Priscilla Villanueva, the mother of the student who claims the high school junior was a victim of hazing and harassment.
Villanueva said she doesn't know what provoked the violent interaction, but she said her son has changed since the incident.
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“I could see something was different . His personality was different. He didn’t say anything only to say, ‘Don’t worry about it.’” the mother said.
She said while the school interviewed her son, officials from the school and the Upland Unified School District refused to give any answers except to say Child Protective Services was investigating.
The Villanueva family filed a claim against the school district, the first step before a lawsuit is filed, alleging that hazing and harassment went unchecked.
“I want the school to take accountability and change because it went too far,” the mother said.
In response, the Upland School District said it’s launched an internal review of the alleged incident “involving physical misconduct” by players of the high school varsity baseball team.
“An experienced outside investigator has been interviewing players, coaches, and administrators to determine exactly what happened,” the school district said in a statement. “Our district leaders are taking this situation very seriously”
