“I’ve been bullied most of my life. It really hit drastically in 3rd grade — and it’s been awful every since then”, Keaton Jones told CBS affiliate WVLT-TV in Knoxville, TN.
The now 11 year old sat down for his first interview after his video went viral. His mother, Kimberly Jones recorded her son painfully recounting being bullied in the lunch room at Horace Maynard Middle School where he attends. The students made fun of Keaton’s physical deformities, poured milk on him and even stuffed lunchmeat down his clothes.
“I don’t like going back and thinking about it because that was awful. It made me feel awful about myself even”, Keaton told a reporter.
The school’s principal responded to Kimberly posting the video. See that HERE.
Since going viral, his mother found herself at the center of controversy, being called everything from a con-artist to a racist. Pictures of Kimberly’s children posing with a confederate flag and Kimberly’s Facebook post allegedly ridiculing Black Lives Matter protesters circulated across the web as quickly as her son’s video.
Readers accused the Tennessee woman of being a racist and said her son being bullied was her karma. Some even accused little Keaton of being racist, alleging the 11 year old may have been bullied for using the n-word.
Keaton’s sister Lakyn quickly dispelled that rumor. She also defended her mother, saying the confederate flag is a symbol of Southern pride for her family, not a symbol of racism.
She needs a history lesson.
A GoFundMe page was also launched in Keaton’s honor, raising over $57,000, but the page was launched by someone who doesn’t know or represent Keaton’s family. His sister also said they never asked or needed money from anyone.
Another person impersonating Kimberly made a Instagram profile begging celebrities to share the GFM page, saying “us whites” gotta stick together, leading to even more backlash for the Jones family.
Keaton seems to have been shielded from the hate online, proudly smiling at his hero, Captain America (actor Chris Evans) supporting him.
Stay strong, Keaton. Don’t let them make you turn cold. I promise it gets better. While those punks at your school are deciding what kind of people they want to be in this world, how would you and your mom like to come to the Avengers premiere in LA next year? https://t.co/s1QwCQ3toi
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) December 10, 2017
Keaton says the best part about all this is knowing so many people care and offered advice to those being bullied.
Watch Keaton’s FULL INTERVIEW HERE.