After Bullies Throw Hearing-Impaired Student’s Belongings in a Toilet, Check Out How Classmates Respond

School officials are investigating after a hearing-impaired student’s belongings were recently damaged by bullies who threw them into a toilet, according to KETV-TV.

Alex Hernandez, 16, told KETV that his backpack, which was taken by the alleged perpetrators, contained a backup battery for his hearing aid. He can’t hear his teachers without it.

"My tablet, debit card, my battery, my cochlear implant battery," he said. "All the stuff that I have was in the toilet."

His homework was also ruined in the ordeal.

"I was going to turn it in to get a good grade. Make my mom proud, you know?" Hernandez said.

According to KETV, teachers at Burke High School in Omaha, Nebraska, helped Hernandez replace his notebooks, and classmates created a GoFundMe page to help him replace his damaged items. They surpassed their fundraising goal — $800 — in three days.

Hernandez plans to transfer to another high school but said he was “very happy they're supporting me and my family.”

In a statement provided to KMTV-TV, a spokesperson for Omaha Public Schools said that they are investigating the incident and that “we take these kind of situations very seriously.”

KMTV reports that the two students accused of taking and destroying Hernandez’s belongings claimed they didn't know about his disability.

Hernandez told KMTV he doesn’t know the students who are allegedly responsible.

"Those students think it's OK to bully a deaf student, but it's not. It's not OK to bully someone who is disabled, deaf or hard of hearing," Hernandez said. "Or anyone for that matter."

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