H.S. Football Coach Stands By As Players Attack Student

October 14, 2011 / Football

There are no words — no clean ones anyway — to describe the type of human being who would stand idly by and watch 20 to 30 high school football players beat up a disabled teen. This hideous situation actually happened earlier this month at a high school in Chicago, and here’s the kicker (sorry): The man who allowed the violent bullying to take place? He’s the players’ coach.

The teen was Darion Jones, 16, who wears a prosthetic eye due to childhood cataracts. According to his mom, one of the football players at his high school had accused Jones of stealing his Nike flip-flops. And here’s where the story takes a nasty turn …

The head coach of the football team, a man named Cassius Chambers, allegedly stopped by Jones’ home to question him about the flip-flops. Minutes later, 20 to 30 football players rolled up in two cars and brutally attacked Jones and his 15-year-old nephew, damaging his eye and knocking out a tooth. What’s even worse, this all happened in front of Jones’ mother.

So what did Chambers do while his players bashed a skinny half-blind kid’s head in over some stupid flip-flops? Yeah, he allegedly just sat there and watched.

Chambers was obviously either too scared to stop the attack or, worse, he silently condoned it. Either way his behavior was disgusting, especially because him going to Jones’ house in the first place seems to have initiated all the trouble. Coaches — just like any other teacher or faculty member — are supposed to be the adults setting a good example for the kids. But in this situation, the adult was just as bad as this gang of bullies — some would argue even worse!

The good news is that Jones was treated at the hospital and is recovering. And Chambers for his part was charged last week with misdemeanor simple assault. Hopefully, he and his players will get what’s coming to them.


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