Allegations of bullying by a school superintendent when he was young was top of mind at a Texas city’s school board meeting on Monday and near the top of agenda items to discuss.
The meeting came one week after a former classmate of Supt. Lance Hindt appeared at a board meeting and accused the superintendent of bullying him so badly more than 35 years ago he almost committed suicide. Hindt was back at the board to address the allegations.
“I regret the negative attention that’s been brought to this community in the past week,” Hindt said, pausing multiple times, clearly becoming emotional. “Ultimately, ultimately, I’ll be judged by one person.”
“I was bullied,” he said. “Unbelievably bullied.”
WATCH: Texas man confronts school superintendent, accuses him of bullying him 35 years ago
Barrett said the bullying got to the point where he almost committed suicide, stealing his father’s gun and putting it in his mouth.
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The bullying, Barrett told NBC affiliate KPRC-TV, was because his original name when he was in school was Gregory Gay until his parents helped him to change it. Changing his name helped curb the bullying, he said.
After he left the meeting, Hindt appeared to laugh and shake his head. He also denied the accusations.
At Monday’s board meeting, the superintendent said laughter was not based on amusement with the accusations.
“I recognize that I am not a perfect person, I don’t think anybody in here really is. I do recognize that well,” Hindt said. “Please know my reaction this past Monday night was one of shock, it wasn’t one of disrespect or insensitivity, I was purely shocked.”
Outside, parents protested the superintendent, according to CBS affiliate KHOU 11, with some carrying signs including Shelly Cox who said her daughter contemplated committing suicide after being bullied for years.
“They did nothing to stop it,” she said.
READ MORE: Dad invites child’s bullies to her funeral
Some parents spoke with NBC-affiliate KPRC-TV after the meeting and said they understood Hindt’s reaction last week.
“In some cases, people just tend to laugh or have other types of reactions whenever somebody’s accused of something,” said Neal Jennings.
School board president Ashley Vann also said at the meeting that the superintendent should be judged based on his record.
“Our responsibility is to act on behalf of our community and judge our superintendent based on the totality of his record,” Vann said.
Hindt also said during the meeting that the situation gave the board a chance to examine how they’re eliminating bullying in the school board.
This reaction, however, left Barrett disappointed and feeling like he received no apology.
“I felt like he’s basically calling me a liar,” Barrett told ABC13. “I am disappointed by this, by him denying that it ever happened at all.”
Even with Hindt denying the accusations, Barrett had a message for students facing a bully and said they have to “keep plugging along,” and to tell a parent, a teacher, “tell somebody.”
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