Where were the coaches?????

Sounds to me like he was messing around with his teammates. I think the Atlanta Police and Westminster should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to go public. What ever happened to privacy? Christ didn't believe in gossip.

Exactly when does "I'm gonna kick your ass " change into " I'm mad at you so I will stick this broomstick up your ass"?

PRIVACY went out the door as soon as the teammate decided to sexaully assaulted the young man with, Mr. Obama!!!

If you want to know what Christ believes, please please PLEASE read your bible!!!

PRIVACY went out the door as soon as the teammate decided to sexually assault the young man with a foreign object, Mr. Obama!

If you want to know what Christ really believes in, please please PLEASE read your bible!

Are you saying they should be ashamed for allowing this to go public to protect the victim who was sexually assaulted with an object or to protect the football player who turned himself into police?

I don't know any man named Obama, but I will say this. I agree with this man. This is NO ONE's BUSINESS BUT THE TWO KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS. Westminster should not have intervened OR kicked the kid out. WHat a joke. I hope Houk's family sues the hell out of both Westminster and the victim's family. To hell with anyone who lives their life trying to bring innocent kids down. God will not be mocked; Let it be known that whatever you sow, you shall also reap. I can't wait until Christ judges all those who love evil!

All I am saying that if this victim was indeed assaulted "sexually," the kid should have been disciplined in private. This is none of our business. This is pathetic journalism. God have mercy on every journalist's soul who has written on this matter. It is 100% private, show some maturity and let these young people grow in Christ without being tortured, tormented, harrassed, and judged by those who claim to be loving adults. God will not be mocked.

Tagg, Probably agree that privacy would be nice in these circumstances, but once it hits a police blotter, this always becomes news given the subject matter...despite the resources of the families in this instance. Don't think that reduces the nature of the incident. What would you think the appropriate punishment would be for a bullying event that included possible sodomy with a broom, toothbrush or other object?

One more question...on your comment that if it was indeed sexual assault, then the discipline should have been private. Are you against the current legal system regarding publicly identifying and tracking sex offenders, limiting ability to live near schools, etc?

I believe the lady who wrote the article is a mature, professional lady. It's not her fault it was all over the news the other day. I believe the appropriate punishment, if this actually occurred, under the condition that substantial evidence was present on the victim to suggest assault,...rather than a small joke having gone haywire, would be maybe a major detention or a suspension. But jail time? Are you serious? Sexual assault? Are you serious? If the victim experienced serious damage, I am completely wrong in this whole ordeal. I just believe that is wrong to punish any 17 year old who unintentionally made a mistake in the way that he is. It is pathetic. Adults, figure out a better way to discipline young people.

The victim requierd stitches as a result of the broomstick assault in his anus. Anyone that could do that to another living being, human or animal, is a monster along with the boys that held the victim down.

"Tagg" please go talk honestly with a counselor. Doing so now could change the course of your life in a way you will be grateful for when you're older. Poking someone with a broom handle is at best bullying and in this case, assault. It's not funny. It's about power and humiliation. If the person being poked is naked in a shower and there is penetration, that's sexual battery, one of very unamusing "seven deadly sins" in Georgia (please Google this and read the actual language of the law). The school, and the hospital are required to report such things, thank goodness! It's highly unlikely anyone would have been charged without medical proof. People who do this sort of thing need help. People who witness it, or who are near it, need help too. Man up and get help.

I don't think it's funny or right.

I'm glad you don't think it's funny or right. I know this is a difficult, confusing and troubling time. I pray you will go talk with a professional counselor.

I hope you can also appreciate that the school would have no choice but to expel the student in question. What would happen if they didn't? Worst case scenario, what if that student were to assault someone else at the school in the future? The school would then be liable. What if it were to come out later that the aggressor has a history of inappropriate behavior with other kids that wasn't reported before? (I don't know that he does or doesn't, this is an example.) Why do you think Penn State's had to pay out so much money over the Sandusky case? The courts have established they knew, they didn't involve the legal system, and that makes them responsible (liable) for what happened after they first knew there was an issue.

It's extremely difficult to understand how anal penetration could be "an accident" or "innocent", though it most certainly was a mistake. There are things that just should not be done. This is one of those things.

Concerned Mom is right on target regarding legal liability. Rest assured before this is all over, the victim's family will be suing Westminster, the sexual aggressor and his accomplices.

Sometimes when young people, athletes, poplar stars etc are facing life changing circumstances the public takes on a denial of sorts. minimizing the behavior and the required consequences. As a society to maintain order at a minimum we must discourage aggregate behavior even when the consequences spell the end of promise for a young life. It is not society or the school or even the victim and his parents but the person who made the decision to cross this line. This is the same perception that allows women to be beat, children emotionally abused and as a society people absolve themselves of responsibility because it is not their business. Well I say it most certainly is and hope you dont have to wait until one of these circumstances hit home before your perspective changes.

Tagg - your comments are that of an idiot. You attitude towards the circumstances surrounding this crime are appalling. I wonder if your child had a broomstick shoved inside them by another human-being, if you'd feel differently? If not - you need not have children. Those responsible for sexual assault such as this need to be punished to the extent of the law. Once this occurs - the prison system & it's residents have a nice way of handling it from that point on.

If this kid was held down by a group of boys and assaulted, why is only the one guy (FB player) being charged? Isn't everyone who participated in this heinous act equally culpable according to the law?

What ever happened to fist fights outside the locker room? How sick do you have to be to want to get even with someone in this manner???

For those of you concerned about how this sort of thing can happen, or how you might be able to prevent something like this in the future, www.stopbullying.gov is an excellent resource. Here's a link to a an easy-to-digest article "Be More Than a Bystander": http://www.stopbullying.gov/respond/be-more-than-a-bystander/index.html