The beating of a middle school student on a school bus in Framingham, Massachusetts, is causing alarm among parents.
The incident, captured on cellphone video, shows the 12-year-old Cameron Middle School student enduring multiple punches to his face and body by several classmates.
"He's been staying a lot at home because he's embarrassed because some of the students live in the same neighborhood," said the boy's father, Wilson Aparecido Abreu.
Speaking exclusively to NBC10 Boston, Abreu said his son hasn't been himself since the beating two months ago.
Abreu says it all started when his son received an explicit photo of one of his classmates, allegedly shared with him by accident.
The boy reportedly told the principal about the photo, but when his classmates got wind of it, they served him a beating on the bus.
"He was punched in the eyes and suffered back and head fractures, and bite marks on his arm," said Abreu.
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Abreu wishes the bus driver would have intervened by contacting police, the school and the parents.
Framingham Public Schools Superintendent Bob Tremblay said the students involved in the fight have been disciplined and the school is working with the bus company to make sure students are transported safely moving forward.
"Taking out a cell phone to capture a video rather than taking action to help stop an act of aggression or violence is unacceptable," Tremblay said in a message to parents. "We need to all work together to ensure that our students know what it means to be an upstanding member of our community."
Other parents agree.
"Education starts in the home," said Santiago Pereira De Araujo Neto.
"I think the school needs to work more with the kids' fathers, the parents," said Agriana Chagas. "To make sure this thing won't happen again."
Abreu said his son has begun taking the bus again, but only leaves the house to go to school, fearing being attacked.
The superintendent would not specify what kind of punishment the classmates received. The school bus company has yet to comment.
