Keaton Jones Hasn't Returned to School Since His Bullying Video Went Viral

11-year-old Tennessee boy admits he's not ready to go back to Horace Maynard Middle School

By Kendall Fisher Dec 14, 2017 5:55 PMTags

Keaton Jones isn't ready to go back to school after his video about being bullied went viral.

Over the weekend, the 11-year-old from Maynardville, Tenn., and his mother, Kimberly, shared a video of the boy tearfully describing the bullying he experiences at school. The video ended up attracting attention across the world and causing many celebrities—like Selena GomezMillie Bobbie Brown, Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato—to speak up and defend him, even going as far as offering to bring him to events. It also encouraged Joseph Lam to start a GoFundMe page in his honor.

However, despite "the world wanting to come and eat lunch with him," as Kimberly described it, Keaton hasn't returned to school.

The mother and son sat down for a video interview with British talk show This Morning on Thursday where Keaton revealed, "I actually haven't been back to school."

Kimberly added, "He has maintained this entire time...that he didn't want to go back to school. I've struggled anyway, especially being this close to Christmas break, but after seeing how big it got, I mean it just seems like maybe we should let it die down a little bit before we made any decisions so that we could kind of have a reality of what life is gonna be like."

Not to mention, Keaton's family has also faced quite a bit of backlash after the video went viral. One photo surfaced of the family holding a confederate flag, which was only heightened when people began speculating the family was only using Keaton's story for financial gain.

Kimberly previously denied being racist in various interviews, and in talking with This Morning, she said, "I've said over and over, I'm an adult, I know who I am. I'm obviously sorry it has offended so many people. But the backlash to my children and the truth that keeps coming from all of these people who have no idea."

She continued, "I mean, I've been judged and sentenced, my entire family and friends have been judged and sentenced based upon two pictures, and people who don't know us. That's something I would not wish on anybody. That's not what it was about and it's still not what this is about, and it's a little ironic that it's brought the bullies out."