Mother of child accused of sexual harassment says it was self-defense

BOSTON (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - The mother of a Boston elementary school first-grader being investigated for possible sexual harassment for hitting another boy in the groin says her son acted in self-defense.

Mark Curran, 7, tells FOX 25 another boy came up to him on the school bus and strangled him so he defended himself by kicking the boy.

His mother says he was visibly shaken when he got off the school bus following the incident.

“He said some kid choked me on the bus. I said excuse me? He said he choked me and stole my gloves,” says Tasha Lynch.

Lynch says she anticipated a simple resolution when she contacted the school to discuss what happened.

“They both had a fight. They both should’ve shaken hands, said sorry and they both should have done punishment extra school work,” says Lynch.

Instead of extra school work, Tynan Elementary School in South Boston informed Tasha Lynch of the sexual harassment violation.

A spokesman for the school says the principal is looking into an incident that occurred on one of the school buses, but they will not publicly discuss a student.

Lynch has kept her son out of school for two weeks since the incident fearing for his safety. She says kicking the boy was wrong, but it should not be a sexual harassment issue.

This is a code of discipline by the Boston Public Schools and is not being investigated by police.

Mark Curran has a disciplinary hearing on Monday during which the school reserves the right to suspend him for three days if found guilty of the violation.