Editor’s note: KWGS has withheld the names of the three accused students because two of them are minors. To report sexual assault anonymously, you can call the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network at 800-656-4673.
Three students at Sperry High School are accused of assaulting a fellow student with a hairbrush.
The boys were charged Thursday in Tulsa County District Court with first-degree rape by instrumentation. Sperry police reported that two of the defendants held the boy while a third penetrated him through his clothes with a hairbrush.
The investigating officer reported none of the boys were remorseful until charges were mentioned.
A fourth person allegedly called for the hairbrush in the incident but had not been charged as of Friday afternoon.
The alleged victim’s attorney claims the students involved in the assault were members of the high school football team.
Superintendent, attorney statements contrast
While school administrators claim the district handled the situation appropriately, the attorney representing the alleged victim strongly disagrees.
In a statement to parents, Sperry Schools Superintendent Brian Beagles claimed “appropriate measures were swiftly taken to address any misconduct” at the school following the alleged assault, but did not provide further details.
“The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority and we are committed to supporting our students and ensuring a safe environment,” Beagles said.
Beagles also asked parents to let legal processes go forward and to respect the students’ privacy.
Conversely, the alleged victim’s attorney claimed the district “did nothing but try and hide the truth from the public.”
The attorney also claimed the district punished the alleged victim and the defendants with extra strength and conditioning work.
“The only way to put an end to this shocking behavior is to sue the school district, its employees, the perpetrators of these crimes and their parents who are responsible for their actions. A jury trial will expose the truth about what happened,” the attorney’s statement reads.
