EDGE Boston

For years, bullies have targeted him: left him black and blue, knocked him unconscious, mocked him as gay (though he’s not). Now his parents, who say school officials have been unhelpful, are suing their son’s tormentors.

As reported in a March 24 New York Times article, 15-year-old Billy Wolfe has received numerous beatings from bullies ever since the Fayetteville, AK resident was twelve years old.

A few years ago, the article reports, Billy was phoned by another boy from his school who offered, as a joke, to sell Billy a sex aide. When Billy told his mother and she in turn informed the other boy’s parents, Billy became a target from pay-back.

Only, the pummelings and harassment didn’t stop there. The Tmes story reports that Billy, who is tall and thin, wears braces, and suffers a learning disability, has become the constant, and literal, whipping boy in his school.

While anti-gay groups and activists criticize efforts to curb bullying nationwide, calling it a means to "promote" homosexuality, Billy, who is not gay, has been depicted as Peter Pan online and called a "homosexual" by the kids who deliver the frequent beat-downs.

The Times report details how ten years ago the harassment of a gay student in Fayetteville led to strict policies regarding tolerance; but Billy’s parents, who possess voluminous records of the attacks against their son, question whether school officials are doing anything to address the problem.

In one instance, Billy was beaten up on a school bus. School officials suspended first and examined the bus security tape later: they had suspended Billy, when the evidence showed that he was not the aggressor, but rather the victim.

The Times article even reports on a cell phone video in which a boy brags to his brother that he’s going to assault Billy. The video goes on to show the boy punching Billy so hard that he staggers, a welt appearing on his forehead.

In another instance, Billy was struck with such force that he was knocked out and suffered laceration on the inside of his cheek had to be sewn closed by a dentist. Though the attack took place during a woodshop class, a school official reportedly declined to contact the police about the matter and went so far as to comment that Billy had had it coming.

Indeed, school records indicate that Billy is not entirely passive in his interactions with his tormentors. The article cited records suggesting that Billy had been involved in verbal exchanges and shoving matches prior to being beaten up.

That isn’t good enough, say Billy’s parents. Other than hearing that they should consider moving away, say Billy’s parents, they see little evidence of the school district doing anything about the attacks.

One incident that did receive attention from school officials was when a Facebook page was created by the name Everyone That Hates Billy Wolfe.

The page depicted Billy as Peter Pan, with accompanying text that read, "There is no reason anyone should like billy [sic] he’s a little bitch," the Tiems reported.

Continued the text posted on Facebook, "And a homosexual that NO ONE LIKES."

School district spokesman Alan Wilbourn was cited by the Times article as saying that the school’s principal followed up after Billy’s mother complained, contacting the parents of the boys responsible. The parents, he said, saw that the page was taken down.

Wilbourn also cautioned against jumping to any conclusions that the school district is not taking action against the bullies who have been physically assailing Billy these past few years.

The Times article cited Wilbourn as saying that, as a matter of federal law, students’ records indicating whether and what disciplinary actions have been taken against the student, and for what, are not available to the public.

Wilbourn also said that it is the policy of the school district to leave it up the judgment of school staff to decide whether any individual act of bullying warranted police involvement.

But Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe have determined that they’ve had enough and have filed suit against the boys who have bullied their son, and left the possibility open they they will sue the school district as well.

The Times reported that D. Westbrook Doss, Jr., said that the idea behind the suit was not to collect money so much as to press the point that bullying is simply not acceptable in the schools.