06/03/2026
# WHERE IS THE JUSTICE FOR MY SON?
# # MY SON WAS VIOLENTLY ATTACKED AT SCHOOL, AND WE BELIEVE THE SYSTEM FAILED HIM.
# DIXON, ILLINOIS • LEE COUNTY
**WARNING:** The video associated with this statement contains violent footage involving minors. Viewer discretion is advised.
This incident occurred at Reagan Middle School (RMS) in Dixon, Illinois, within Lee County.
Because this happened in our community, we believe the people of Dixon and Lee County deserve to be informed and deserve to ask questions about student safety, victim protection, accountability, and transparency.
Sharing this video publicly is one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make as a parent.
The last thing I want to do is post footage of my child being attacked.
However, after months of searching for answers and struggling to understand how an incident of this severity resulted in no criminal charges, I believe the public deserves to see why our family remains so concerned.
This video is not being shared for shock value.
It is not being shared to embarrass anyone.
It is being shared because the level of violence shown in the footage was far more severe than I originally understood, and because I believe public awareness is necessary for an informed conversation about student safety, victim protection, and accountability.
In my view, what happened to my son was not a typical school altercation. It was a sudden and unexpected attack that left our family shocked after seeing the video for ourselves.
The video that accompanies this statement was not provided by our family. It was circulated among students following the incident and ultimately came into our possession. Until I saw the video myself, I did not fully understand the severity of what had happened to my son.
What I witnessed was shocking.
It was heartbreaking.
And it left me asking how something this serious could occur and still result in no criminal charges.
This incident occurred at Reagan Middle School (RMS) in Dixon, Illinois, within Lee County.
Because this happened in our community, we believe our community deserves to be informed and deserves to ask questions about student safety, victim protection, and accountability.
On January 30, 2026, my son was violently attacked at school in an incident that was captured on video.
This was not a mutual fight.
This was not a disagreement that got out of hand.
My son was not expecting to be attacked.
The incident occurred on school property, was witnessed by students, was captured on video, and required intervention from a school representative to stop it.
The video shows a student approaching my son and initiating a physical assault. My son was struck repeatedly, and the attack continued after he was knocked to the ground. After the physical assault, my son was also publicly humiliated when the student spat on him while other students were present.
School staff eventually had to intervene to stop the attack.
When I watched the video for the first time, I was stunned. What I saw was far more violent than I had originally been led to believe. Watching my child be attacked in that manner was both heartbreaking and difficult to comprehend.
The school's response made it clear they viewed the incident as serious. The school conducted an investigation, imposed significant disciplinary consequences, and referred the matter to law enforcement.
Yet four months later, our family was informed that criminal charges would not be pursued.
As a parent, I have one question:
**Why?**
If a student can be attacked at school, in front of witnesses, on camera, with school staff required to intervene, and the response is still that no charges will be filed, what message does that send to victims and their families?
What message does it send to every student who may become a victim of violence in the future?
How can an incident be documented on video, investigated by the school, referred to law enforcement, and still result in no prosecution?
My son did not choose this situation.
He did not ask to become the victim of an attack.
He did not create the circumstances that led to it.
Yet he is the one who continues to live with the consequences every single day.
He has had to deal with the emotional impact, the social fallout, and the fear that another confrontation could happen in the future.
Meanwhile, our family has struggled to find meaningful support, advocacy, answers, or reassurance that he is truly being protected.
We are also concerned about reports of continued hostility and the possibility of future confrontations. No parent should have to worry that their child could face further intimidation after already being victimized.
This statement is not about revenge.
It is about accountability.
It is about public safety.
It is about student safety.
It is about victim protection.
It is about making sure victims matter.
It is about asking why a child who was attacked appears to have fewer protections than the people who harmed him.
We believe violent attacks should be taken seriously regardless of the age of the people involved.
We believe victims deserve support.
We believe families deserve answers when serious incidents are not prosecuted.
And we believe our community deserves to have a conversation about what accountability should look like when a student is violently attacked at school.
We are calling on members of the Dixon and Lee County communities, parents, educators, elected officials, victim advocates, and anyone who cares about student safety to examine this situation and ask the same questions we have been asking for months.
If this happened to your child, would you be satisfied with the outcome?
Would you feel justice was served?
Would you believe your child was protected?
Because we do not.
If you find yourself asking the same questions our family has been asking for months, we encourage you to contact the State's Attorney's Office and respectfully express your concerns.
Ask why a case involving a school assault that was documented on video, investigated by the school, and referred to law enforcement resulted in no criminal charges.
Ask what protections and resources are available to victims and their families when charges are not pursued.
Ask what options exist for families seeking safety measures and legal protections after a violent incident.
One of the most frustrating aspects of this process has been the lack of information available to our family. Because the individuals involved are minors, many details regarding disciplinary actions, accountability measures, and future protections are not available to us. At the same time, we are left trying to understand what steps can be taken to help ensure our son's safety moving forward.
As parents, we have found ourselves in the difficult position of seeking answers, support, and guidance while navigating a system that often provides very little information to victims' families.
We are not asking for special treatment.
We are asking for transparency.
We are asking for accountability.
We are asking for meaningful victim support.
And we are asking whether the current system does enough to protect students and families after serious incidents of school violence.
If you believe these questions deserve answers, we ask you to join the conversation, contact your elected officials, and advocate for policies that support victims and promote student safety.
Our family will continue speaking publicly and advocating for accountability, transparency, meaningful protection for victims, and answers regarding the decisions that were made in this case until our concerns are addressed.
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# # COMMUNITY CONTACT INFORMATION
If you share our concerns regarding student safety, victim protection, accountability, transparency, and victim rights, we encourage you to respectfully contact:
• Lee County State's Attorney's Office
• Lee County elected officials
• Victim advocacy organizations serving Lee County
Please keep all communications respectful and focused on student safety, victim protection, accountability, transparency, and meaningful support for victims and their families.
# DIXON, ILLINOIS • LEE COUNTY
**Student Safety • Victim Protection • Accountability • Transparency**
Joshua Anderson Heady Meds Allison Anderson Kristi L. Tate
