UPDATE: Suspended Black Gay Teen Reinstated

Darnell "Dynasty" Young is a Black gay youth who says he was bullied at his school in Indianapolis, IN> When he brought a weapon to school to defend himself since the school officials refused to take any action despite multiple pleas and notices from Darnell and his family, he was suspended.

However, now it looks like this sad tale may actually have taken a more positive turn. Darnell has had his expulsion from Indiana schools overturned.

The Indianapolis Star reports:

[Indianapolis Public Schools] spokeswoman Kim Hooper said the district had no comment on the decision to end Young’s expulsion, which would’ve expired in January.

The decision came after Young and his attorneys met with the district one week ago to review his expulsion.

[National Center for Lesbian Rights senior staff attorney Chris] Stoll received a letter announcing that IPS would reinstate Young on Monday.

The letter says the district overturned Young’s expulsion based on letters from Young and his mother, Chelisa Grimes, as well as “character statements regarding Darnell’s conduct since expulsion.

[...]

Young’s expulsion sparked national attention and a local protest outside an IPS School Board meeting in May. The board voted to hire an outside firm to investigate the alleged bullying.

[...]

Young and his family are still critical of the way the district handled the incident.

“I don’t understand why adults would stand back and let any student be threatened,” Young said in a prepared statement after IPS ended his expulsion. “This problem would stop if school officials took action. By doing nothing to stop the harassment, they send the message that it is okay to harass and attack gay students, and nothing will happen if you do.”

Grimes also expressed her continued disappointment with IPS.

“This school district needs to make some real changes to make sure that every student can attend school safely and with dignity,” Grimes said in a statement. “I hope this will be a wake-up call to other parents to find out what is going on at your child’s school and demand that school officials take this issue seriously. If we don’t stand up for our children, no one else will.”

Well, well, well! Sometimes good things can happen!

hat/tip to Wonder Man