'My jaw couldn't close': Central Alberta high school students hold protest after violent assault

Dozens of students at a central Alberta high school held a protest after a Grade 10 student was assaulted by two others and left unconscious on the street.

Sixteen-year-old Wesley Anderson was attacked last month by two other students at H.J. Cody High School who pushed him to the ground and stomped on his head.

"My jaw couldn't close for like six days," Anderson told CTV News. "I had to eat out of a straw."

Both of the attackers were expelled and have since been charged with assault causing bodily harm. But students at the high school claim those same two boys have a history of violent incidents.

"The boys had already beaten up someone two months ago and put them in the hospital," said Cydney Carson.

"When my teacher asks me because she's brand new to the school, she was like does this happen a lot?," Carson added. "And yeah, it does. Just about every month at least."

Several students peacefully protested outside the municipal government building in Sylvan Lake and shared their own experiences of being bullied at the school.

"I had to go to them many times with problems that I've had, and they just brushed it off," Anderson said. "They didn't do anything."

"It really made me upset to know that there's so many other students that go through these things at H.J. Cody," Ellissa Picken said.

According to students, school administration has met with them and is looking for solutions.

"I feel like maybe having this assembly shows to students that not every other student is okay with that and that we're not gonna stand for it," Picken added.

The Chinooks Edge School Division's superintendent told CTV News that he is glad students are sharing concerns but says the reports of violence at H.J. Cody are no higher than other schools in Alberta.