An 11-year-old student needs to be escorted to her classes after a violent attack and a series of threats.
Savannah Tirre, a sixth-grader at Zia Middle School in Las Cruces, New Mexico, has been threatened on social media by her peers. She has now returned to school. The tween is being escorted to lessons by a Mesilla town marshal, according to Las Cruces Sun News.
Her mother told the news site she has been the target of bullying since October after Tirre came out as gay. The bullying began at her former school Picacho Middle School, forcing her to transfer to Zia.
She came out in the summer after fifth grade
The bullying only continued in her new school.
On Friday (8 February), students published a video on Facebook showing Tirre being punched six times by a student. The bully is not identified.
While the video doesn’t explicitly mention her sexuality, comments on social media threaten more violence and called her gay. One comment seen by the Sun News shows one person calling her ‘a little lesbian’ while saying she is ‘about to get jumped Monday again so get your phones out’.
Her mother has now filed a police report.
Savannah Tirre came out to her mother after graduating from fifth grade at Mesilla Elementary School.
Her family have always accepted her, but the students have not been so kind. According to her mother, the bullying was so intense that she started experiencing seizures that required medical attention by a pediatric intensive care unit.
The school have launched action plans to monitor the physical and emotional health of Tirre. Disciplinary action against the bullies have not yet decided, but the school said Savannah will not face suspension for fighting back.
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