Parents Speak out about Ooltewah Basketball Assault

Chattanooga, TN (WDEF) – Tonight, Hamilton County School Board members held a public meeting to allow members of the community to voice any concerns they may have, "We felt that it was important for the public to get to express their thoughts, their feelings, and frustrations and for us to hear those," said school board member, Dr. Jonathan Welch.

A number of parents stood up to speak about the Ooltewah basketball scandal, after many of them learned school administrators may have known what was happening with the basketball team, and didn’t report anything to police.

"As I was sitting in there, and got the news that they actually-I mean they didn’t report it, and my first reaction is that I’m sick," said Hamilton County parent, Tonya McBryar.

McBryar says her son was a victim of bullying four years ago, when a fellow classmate at Ooltewah Middle School was being picked on. McBryar says her son stepped in to help, and that’s when he was beaten so badly he had to be hospitalized for weeks, "I can’t imagine, my prayers are definitely with this family," said McBryar, "I know what it’s like."

City officials also discussed the brand new QuickTip website that was launched last night, allowing anyone in the community to anonymously report any hazing, abuse, or bullying they may come across in the school system.