A suburban school district shared a statement after two students were targeted on social media by a 13-year-old boy who is now facing felony charges, including hate crime.
A boy from Oswego is facing one felony charge of hate crime, one felony charge of disorderly conduct, and one misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct after he allegedly shared racist and threatening messages on social media about two other 13-year-old boys over the weekend, authorities said.
The two boys who the posts were about are students at Oswego Community Unit School District 308, according to a statement from Dr. Andalib Khelghati, superintendent of schools for the district.
“The lives of the students who were targeted, our broader community, and even the student who made the terrible decision to write, post, and share this content are forever changed,” Khelghati said in the statement.
Khelghati condemned the hateful posts in the message and said the incident should serve as a “catalyst for change” — suggesting teachers and parents to talk with kids more about their internet use.
The full message from Khelghati can be read below.
“I am writing to you today with a heavy heart and a commitment.
Last weekend, two of our students were targeted on social media. Their images were shared alongside threats and harassment, and the comments made about them were directed at their race, written to demean and to hurt. The Oswego Police Department has been involved, and their press release about the situation is linked below.
Let me be clear: these harmful actions do not reflect the values of SD 308. This is not acceptable—not in our schools, not online, and not anywhere in our community. We are one community, and when any of our students is targeted because of who they are, all of us are affected.
The impact of this incident reaches far. The lives of the students who were targeted, our broader community, and even the student who made the terrible decision to write, post, and share this content are forever changed.
To the students who were targeted and to their families: we stand with you. You belong here, and we are committed to your safety and well-being.
There is no undoing this situation, but there is a choice in what we do next. This moment must be a catalyst for change. It must be the reason we talk more deeply with young people about how they use technology, about the value and weight of their words, and about the importance of considering the outcome of their actions before they act. A post can take seconds to share and a lifetime to repair.
Our commitment is grounded in Rightful Presence and our district’s Equity Policy. Our schools are carrying out this important work every day. Further, we will be extending learning opportunities and resources to families in the weeks ahead, because this work cannot happen in classrooms alone.
I am asking something of every one of you: please talk with your students. Ask them what they see online. Ask them how they would respond if they saw someone being targeted. Remind them that their words matter, that silence can feel like agreement, and that reaching out to a trusted adult is always the right thing to do.
If your student is struggling as a result of this incident, our school counselors and social workers are ready to help. Please reach out to your school directly.
We are stronger than this moment. Let’s show our students, through our words and our actions, what it means to be one community.”
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