Officials with the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office said the harassment began in December and the students refused to stop despite repeated requests. The victim ultimately reported the behavior to Maryland State Police, which investigated and filed charges against the students.

The defendants, all 13, are students at Plum Point Middle School in Calvert County, which serves students in sixth through eighth grades and is located about 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) southeast of Washington, D.C. Their names are being withheld because they’re underage.

Officials said the charges will be forwarded to the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services for appropriate action.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    Shit kids from shit parents. I’m Jewish and when I was in high school, a kid stole a book I was reading and drew a swastika on every page and gave it back to me. He didn’t get in any trouble. This is why hate crime laws are a good thing.

    • quindraco@lemm.ee
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      8 months ago

      I’m jewish and can’t disagree with you any harder than I already do. Those kids stole your property and then damaged it, both of which are crimes that should be prosecuted. Adding thoughtcrime charges on top damages the 1A without any meaningful benefit.

      I was physically assaulted for years as a kid. I dreamt then and I dream now of school students being held criminally accountable for their criminal behaviour. And bear in mind, I also support noncriminal punishments, like school detention, suspension, or expulsion, for noncriminal behavior, any or all of which might have been appropriate for those swastikas. But there’s just no good reason to give those kids extra time in juvie because the symbols they chose were swastikas, not penises.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Hate crimes are often prosecuted as separate from other crimes and there’s good reason for that.

        It wasn’t white people who were getting lynched in large numbers in the U.S.