A eighth-grader in the Cherry Creek school district is taking his story of verbal and physical abuse by school bullies national, his father said today.
Adrian Ulm endured two years of taunts — mocking his German citizenship, his love of theater and even his father’s appearance — before a fight in November left him with a broken collarbone and numerous head injuries.
ABC’s “Good Morning America” has asked to tape Adrian’s performance in West Middle School’s production of “High School Musical” on Thursday night at the Greenwood Village campus. The morning show’s producers also will interview Adrian for a segment, but the date it will air has not yet been set, Heinz Ulm said.
The family has been interviewed by the Washington Times newspaper this week as well, he said.
In addition, Heinz Ulm is starting a nonprofit organization called with $1,600 in donations that have come in since a Denver Post article on Tuesday. The website will be up this week, Heinz Ulm said.
Ulm’s attacker won’t face criminal charges because Adrian voluntarily took part in the November fight, the Ulms were told. But a 2-year-old amendment to Colorado’s hate-crime laws could make Adrian’s assailant the first youth in Colorado to be sued for punitive damages for a bias-motivated attack because it was based on Adrian’s nationality.
The other 14-year-old repeatedly called Adrian a Nazi because he is German. The bully was expelled and has not applied for reinstatement, according to Cherry Creek Schools.
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com
