At Colbert Public School in Oklahoma where school should be a safe place for every kid but for Parker, a student with autism, things turned sour as his grandmother, Dianna Dumas, has been speaking out on Facebook about the bullying he faced.
The story centers on baseball coach Zach Crabtree and has sparked online outrage, with people supporting Parker and seeking change.
Parker loved baseball and he joined the team at Colbert High School but soon, trouble started when Dianna says the coach’s behavior made Parker quit. Now, Parker is in art class instead.
Dianna shared her frustration in a post-:
“Colbert High School Coach you got what you wanted. Parker quit baseball. He is now in Art. You should be ashamed of yourself but we all know you won’t think twice about Parker. I pray Parker has an amazing year. Free of bullying”
Via Facebook
This isn’t the first time Dianna posted about it before this post she wrote about Parker being bullied earlier.
Someone reported that post, and Facebook removed it but Dianna won’t stay quiet. She further said,
Bullying kids with autism hits hard and Autism can make social situations tough.
Parker, like many with autism, might struggle to speak up and That’s why stories like this one the Parker Autism bullying case are so important.
They show how schools need to protect all students.
Whereas, Coach Zach Crabtree has Over a Decade of Experience in Coaching
Crabtree has coached for 18 years and has leads the baseball team at Colbert Leopard since 2024.
Before that, he was head coach at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Murray State College.
Parents expect coaches to build kids up, not tear them down but unfortunately here, Dianna points the finger at him where She believes his actions drove Parker away.
The Community is Responding Dianna on Facebook commenting with their Own Stories and Support
Emily Guerrero Ferguson shared her own story where Her son Roxton faced bullying too.
“Do they have cameras at his school? Roxton was being bullied & they were going to suspend him because they said he was the aggressor. I insisted that they view the camera footage & they found that it wasn’t just one kid that was harassing him but at least 5. On a daily basis they would slap him on the back of his head or shove him to the ground. The counselor was shocked that the coach never saw anything (as he claimed). They pushed his head into the water fountain & busted his lip & gum open.”
Via Facebook
she further mentioned that After months of persistence, the school involved the police, and the bullies were held accountable. Emily hopes Parker finds peace in art.
Ray England, another parent of a child with autism and cerebral palsy, related to Dianna’s pain recalling a karate teacher who singled out his son for refusing to bow at the door.
” My son was heartbroken, And I did what any good Christian would do and flipped him off on my way out the door, so you handled this with way more class than me.”
Via Facebook
His story shows how common it is for kids with disabilities to face unfair treatment.
A former athlete, ImFifty AF Zach, who played softball with Coach Crabtree for 15 years, was stunned
“Zach Crabtree I played softball with him for about 15 years.
Via Facebook
If this is true, it really hurts my heart… I really hope he would stand up and make things right. He was always a good guy when I knew him. Do better as coaches and as adults.
I would see if you could get a waiver to switch schools.”
Blaine Emmaly Williams offered practical advice:
“Find a special needs Advocator, they are lawyers who specialize in children who could possibly be excluded or not receiving services they need.”
Via Facebook
Meanwhile, Lisa K Norman urged Dianna to escalate the issue,
“Go above the teacher principal superintendent. Or even higher if you have to. Call the news channels. Ugh this angers me so much. And I’m sorry that your grandson is having to go through this.”
Via Facebook
These comments show a pattern of Bullying in schools is common. Especially for kids with autism.
Experts say one in five students with autism faces bullying which can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem.
In Parker’s case, switching to art might help him heal as art therapy often works well for those with autism letting them express feelings without words.
But questions remain. Why hasn’t the school spoken up? Colbert Public Schools has stayed silent.
So far, neither Colbert Public Schools nor Coach Crabtree has made a public statement.
And Parents want answers and they want policies to stop this. Maybe cameras in schools, like Emily suggested. Or better training for coaches.
So far, neither Colbert Public Schools nor Coach Crabtree has made a public statement.
Dianna’s hope is that she wants Parker to have a year free of torment, where he can thrive and be himself.
