Police investigating beating of gay student, 15, caught on video at Dixon High School

DIXON – Police are investigating an incident in which a cellphone video shows an 18-year-old student coming up behind a smaller, 15-year-old boy in a hallway at Dixon High School on Monday, grabbing him and slamming him head-first into a locker, then proceeding to beat him.

The assault happened because the younger student, Kayden Carter, is gay, according to Kayden, his mother, and fellow students.

Dixon Police Chief Steve Howell declined to comment on the incident on Wednesday, except to say the department is “in discussions” with the state’s attorney’s office about whether or what charges should be filed.

State’s Attorney Charlie Boonstra said he is waiting on the department’s investigative reports to be filed before making any decisions.

Howell did confirm that the 18-year-old was issued a city citation for fighting, but said that was a mistake because the investigation was not done, and the citation is being withdrawn. He would not name the student, because, with the withdrawal of the citation, he has not been charged.

Kayden, however, is speaking out. He and a handful of Dixon High students held demonstrations Wednesday on busy Peoria Avenue.

“The gay community at the school is scared,” Kayden said. “We just want our voices to be heard.”

Kayden, who had a lump on his head that still was sore Wednesday, said he isn’t sad or scared, but is upset that the 18-year-old wasn’t subjected immediately to more severe consequences.

“I’m feeling mainly that he’s not getting in as much trouble as he needs to be.”

The demonstrations, put on by five to seven students, were aimed at the school administration.

“The protest today was mainly because the school has students who are gay in the LGBTQ community since the ’80s, and they are bullied and they (school officials) never do anything about it,” Kayden said.

Another protest is being planned for Friday at the school.

The Dixon School District, already accused of condoning previous bullying incidents, posted this statement Tuesday night on its Facebook page:

“DPS #170 is deeply disturbed and saddened by the incident that occurred on school property yesterday. School and District administration along with law enforcement, upon becoming aware of the incident, took appropriate steps to initiate an active investigation of the incident as expressly provided by Board Policy. We value deeply the safety, security, and equity of all of our students. DPS #170 has policies and procedures in place to address the investigation of such incidents and bullying and violence will not be tolerated. Due to the confidentiality requirements of Federal and State law, the District is unable to offer further details at this time.”

The school district declined further comment Wednesday.

Kayden’s mother, Megin Steeb, told Sauk Valley Media Wednesday she is “very proud” of Kayden, who participated in a school walkout with his friends as part of the demonstration, for sticking up for himself.

“Kayden is a kind soul; he’s one of the happiest kids I ever met in my life,” Steeb said. “He just wants to be accepted.”

Kayden, a freshman, “has been bullied all his life for being gay,” Steeb said.

She said she knows the student accused of the beating.

“He was supposed to be Kayden’s friend. He’s slept over at our house before,” Steeb said. “He knew Kayden was gay.”

Steeb said she doesn’t condone violence against children in any way, and wants no retaliation, she just wants the district to do more to protect its students.

In November, a Dixon High School student and his mother filed a civil suit in Lee County Court accusing the school board and others “harbored, fostered and approved of a toxic culture and practice of bullying, harassment and violence among students” after school officials allegedly knew about, but failed to stop, prevent or report two students’ verbal and physical attacks on other students.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the minor student, his mother and her friend, none of whom are identified, seeks $50,000 plus the cost of the lawsuit in each of its 24 counts.

It names the school board, DHS Principal Michael Grady, DHS counselor Steve Hodson, Dixon Public Schools assistant superintendent Daniel Rick, DHS physical education teacher Jon Empen, DHS physical education teacher and strength coach Andrew McKay, DHS physical education teacher Jonathan Gieson, board member Brad Sibley and DHS students Hunter Pate and Shane Nelson as defendants.

Pate is a senior on the school’s wrestling and football teams. Nelson graduated from DHS in May. Both are 18 or older; neither was charged criminally.

The 69-page suit alleges that in the fall 2019 semester school officials “knew, or should have known” the student was “made the target of multiple bullying attacks” by Pate and Nelson, but “failed to stop, supervise or to guard against” them.

School officials also had a “duty, voluntary or otherwise, to prevent and/or protect” the student from “undergoing such violent attacks,” and “knew of these patterns and practices, but deliberately disregarded anti-violence and bullying policies set forth” in the Illinois School Code and the district’s own policies, the suit claims.

School officials did not report Pate and Nelson’s conduct to the Dixon Police Department or to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, it states.

The officials instead “downplayed and/or ignored the violent attacks directed” at the student and other students, and “adhered to a ‘boys will be boys’ mentality and ignored the violence repeatedly inflicted” on this and other students.

In a statement to Sauk Valley Media provided by its attorney, Frazier Satterly, of Peoria, the school board said that it was surprised to be named in a lawsuit, and that it denies the allegations.

Motions to dismiss have been filed by several of the defendants but have not yet been heard by the judge.