Alleged school beating brings lawsuit

ST. JOHN, Ind., Nov. 15 (UPI) -- An Indiana school district is being sued by the parents of a student who suffered brain injury when allegedly beaten because of his Middle Eastern background.

The suit claims fellow students at Lake Central High School in St. John bullied David Osama Haddad for more than a year before they allegedly beat him on Nov. 8 and charges district officials knew of the physical and verbal abuse but took no action, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Tuesday.

Haddad was attacked in a hallway of the school and suffered traumatic brain injury, Kenneth Allen, an attorney representing Haddad's parents, said.

"The principal turned a blind eye to the repeated bullying and harassment of this student," Allen said. "The principal was notified on several occasions of the situation, but did nothing. Inaction by those in charge in the face of injustice cannot be tolerated."

Haddad's parents, who live in Dyer, said his Middle Eastern background was the focus of much of the harassment and he was taunted as a "terrorist."

Lake Central district officials had no comment on the ligation, the Sun-Times reported.