A Texas mother is defending her son who was
suspended after helping a fellow student who
was having an asthma attack.
Anthony Ruelas, 15, said his eighth grade
classmate was wheezing and gagging for
three minutes Tuesday morning while no one
did anything. But when Anthony did do
something, he apparently broke the rules.
“He may not follow instructions all the
time, but he does have a great heart,”
said Mandy Cortes, Anthony’s mother.
Anthony, who attends Gateway Middle School,
an alternative school in the Killeen
Independent School District, has been
suspended before, but Tuesday was different.
"No, they already told me what happened,
you walked out of class,' " she said to
him. "And he was like, 'OK, forget it.' But
I can tell, you know your kids. I could tell
he was upset."
Anthony had walked out of class because he
was carrying a friend to the nurse's office.
"I was like what? I'm suspended for this?
Like, I was trying to help her,” said
Anthony.
Anthony said the teacher was waiting on an
email from the nurse and told the class to
remain calm and stay in their seats. Fearing
for the girl’s health, Anthony didn’t listen and
after several minutes of inaction, went against
the teacher’s wishes to help his friend.
Anthony’s referral form from his teacher
reads in her handwriting:
“During 5th period another student
complained that she couldn't breathe and
was having an asthma attack. As I
waited for a response from the nurse the
student fell out of her chair to the floor.
Anthony proceeded to go over and pick
her up, saying ‘f--- that we ain’t got time
to wait for no email from the nurse.’ He
walks out of class and carries the other
student to the nurse.”
"I broke rules but, she needed help, like she
needed help,” Anthony said.
“I don't, ya know think, he should have used
that language. But as far as getting
suspended for walking out of class, he could
have saved her life,” his mother said.
The school district said it couldn't provide
details because it involved "student discipline
and/or health records." However, the
statement from John Craft, superintendent of
Killeen Independent School District,
concluded: "The Killeen ISD maintains the
safety of our students, staff and campuses as
a priority and applauds the efforts of students
who act in good faith to assist others in times
of need."
However, Cortes said instead of
“applause”
her son got punished for doing the right thing.
"Especially with it being an alternative
school I feel like the kids hear enough of
‘they're bad’ or their behavior, or you
know, and for them to not be rewarded
for really something that is brave, ya
know, he is a hero to me,” Cortes said.
Anthony said he wasn’t concerned about the
two-day suspension, only the girl’s health,
and even with the outcome would help her
again if given the chance.
“Most definitely,” he said.
On Wednesday, the school called Cortes
asking why Anthony was absent. Cortes had
to remind them that the school suspended
him.
Anthony said he got a text from his classmate
Wednesday thanking him and letting him
know she was 'ok.'
Anthony was able to return to school
Thursday, but his mother is now considering
home-schooling him.
Source: USA Today
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