KENOSHA, Wis. — A group of American Legion Riders from district one on Monday morning escorted a middle-schooler to class.
Bullying is something American Legion Riders District One Commander Randy Timms said is unacceptable. He said once he heard of a family in need, his team was there to step up.
Timms shared that a 12-year-old named Jeffrey from Kenosha School of Technology Enhanced Curriculum East Middle School was bullied for wearing pink shoes. He said the kid told them he was assaulted, which led to a broken wrist.
Jeffrey and his family did not want to speak, but shared pictures from the escort.
The parents, who are also veterans, reached out to the American Legion Riders to see if they could do something to help lift Jeffrey’s spirits and show support. Timms said it was a “no-brainer” and got a team of riders together to escort him to school Monday morning.
“A 12-year-old boy was bullied because of the color of his tennis shoes,” Timms said. “This boy also happens to be a member of the Sons of the American Legion. His parents proudly served our country. The American Legion Riders and the Sons of the American Legion gathered here together to demonstrate our love and support of Jeffrey. Bullying at any level should not, and cannot be tolerated.”
Jeffrey got a chance to take pictures with the riders, who also wore pink to show support for his pink shoes.
The riders said they hope this show of support helped Jeffrey go into his last day of school with confidence, and that it taught kids that bullying is not ok.