Community Corner
Special Needs Teen Convicted of Disorderly Conduct for Recording His Bullies
The 15-year-old Pennsylvania high school student was accused of violating the bullies' right to privacy. His mom wants the conviction thrown out.
PITTSBURGH, PA – A special needs teenager who recorded classmates tormenting him is accused of breaking the law and violating the bullies' right to privacy. Is this a case of school administrators punishing the victim?
A high school sophomore was convicted of a crime after the boy recorded his tormentors on an iPad. KDKA reported that Christian Stanfield was forced to erase the clip by administrators who called police. He initially faced a felony charge of wiretapping, which later was reduced to disorderly conduct. A judge found him guilty.
Stanfield's mother, Shea Love, heard the seven-minute clip before it was erased and told KDKA: “Pulling his pants down and some things I can’t repeat. Laughing and cutting up like it was a big joke.”
Stanfield and Love are challenging the district's actions and want his conviction thrown out. Their attorney has demanded an investigation by the office of civil rights.
What do you think? Bullying is a big problem in every school. Was this teen wrong to record what was being done to him?
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