I had friends who supported me against bullies. These students should be lauded, not suspended!
#Maine high school suspends 19 students who stood up to alleged bully targeting #autistic student
Story by Peter Rubinstein, 2/11/2026
"Veronika McKenney, mother of one Oxford Hills student who was not part of the suspended group, maintained that the group was nonviolent. 'They kept their hands off. They used their words,' she told WGME.
"Other students began to follow, eventually forming a crowd around the alleged bully. Only one person in the group spoke to the student accused of kicking the autistic student, the suspended student added.
"When school staff noticed the crowd, they intervened and removed the alleged bully from the middle. Administrators identified the students that had gathered and began notifying their parents.
"Their suspensions ranged from two to five days.
"The story quickly caught attention among school parents on social media, many of whom defended their children's presence in the crowd and condemned the school's decision to suspend them."