Life
Fifth Grade Refuses To Fight Bullies: 'It's Not The Jedi Way'
Aiden doesn't think that violence is the answer.
D.G. Sciortino
09.06.18

Some people try and solve their problems with violence. But others, like 10-year-old Aiden Vasquez have a code of honor.

If you ask Aiden, he’ll tell you that using violence “isn’t the Jedi way.”

Aiden has been bullied for three years to the point where he was physically assaulted and needed medical attention. But Aiden never fought back with violence.

Lizette Casanova
Source:
Lizette Casanova

In the most recent occurrence, a bully was trying to steal Aiden’s backpack.

Aiden was punched in his face while struggling to hold on to his backpack.

“‘Give me my backpack, give me my backpack,'” he recalled asking the boy when he spoke to NBC 5. “I went to go get it and then — pop.”

Lizette Casanova
Source:
Lizette Casanova

But Aiden refused to fight back physically.

“I told my mom, ‘I got it from Star Wars, that it’s not the Jedi way,’” Aiden said.

The fight resulted in Aiden getting a black eye and several bruises.

Lizette Casanova
Source:
Lizette Casanova

“When the day started I said to myself, ‘I have a bad feeling about today,” Aiden told KMIR.

Aiden’s mother, Lizette Casanova, was disheartened to see this kind of continual violence occur at such a young age in California’s Palm Springs Unified School District. He had to get several stitches to close a 3-inch laceration on his face after a previous incident.

Lizette Casanova
Source:
Lizette Casanova

“It piss me off and makes me emotional…It makes me crazy,” said Aiden’s mother Lizette Casanova. “Last year he got a cheek laceration. He got pushed against a wall supposedly and his face got cut open. Last year he got three stitches.”

NBC 5
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NBC 5

Lizette has posted a few pictures of her son’s injuries after separate incidents and called the school out for not doing enough to protect her child.

Those posts ended up going viral.

The school ended up sending out a statement to parents after the social media reports began to circulate.

NBC 5
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NBC 5

“You may be aware of some social media posts and/or conversation related to a student incident this morning at Two Bunch Palms Elementary that resulted in a student injury. We wanted to reassure our families that the safety of our students is our number one priority. All incidents and complaints are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly, and this incident is no exception. Any disciplinary actions deemed necessary and appropriate following extensive investigation will be taken. We cannot share any specific information about our students due to confidentiality laws,” the statement said.

NBC 5
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NBC 5

“We would also like to remind you that while social media can be a wonderful tool for information, there are also times when what is posted does not convey the complete story and can cause multiple rumors to circulate. We encourage you as parents and guardians to contact the school directly if you have specific concerns of questions relative to any safety-related incident.”

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