Questions Are Being Asked

People are asking questions on why the district attorney is pressing charges against the trans-student at Hercules High School in California.

Questions arise over district attorney's decision to charge transgender teen
By Theresa Harrington Contra Costa Times
Posted:   01/10/2014

HERCULES -- A growing public campaign is putting pressure on the Contra Costa County district attorney to drop battery charges against a transgender teen -- charges that were filed after days of taunting and harassment by classmates erupted into a fight at Hercules High School.

A petition on Change.org posted Wednesday by the sister of 16-year-old Jewlyes Gutierrez has garnered media and public attention from around the country, said Charles Ramsey, president of the West Contra Costa school board. He questioned why the District Attorney's Office, which has limited resources, is pursuing a matter that he believes had already been resolved.

"People are talking about this," he said. "It doesn't seem to be fair. You're prosecuting a victim here? It seems like this is really a school issue. They took care of it at the school site."

The students involved in the fight were suspended and later apologized to each other, Ramsey said. Since the incident, there has been no further harassment, he added.

The school system has worked with the students to resolve the issue and they are being giving health services center counselors. The questions are why is the district attorney pressing charges and why is he pressing charges only against Ms. Gutierrez? The district attorney has refused to answer citing that the case involves juveniles. According to the article the district attorney has the discretionary authority to drop the charges.