Apologies as anger lives on

As Frank Burd sat silently yesterday morning in the front row of juvenile court, the two teenage boys who assaulted him in the hallway of Germantown High School and broke his neck two months ago took turns standing up to apologize.

Donte Boykin, 18, a senior in Burd's algebra class who pushed his teacher for confiscating an iPod, went first. The young man, who had already been accepted to college, wore a navy shirt and orange work pants.

"I would like to say I apologize to Mr. Burd," he said. Later, he asked the judge if he could shake Burd's hand. The judge left it up to Burd, who slowly rose from his seat. Boykin leaned toward Burd and the two hugged.

"He said, 'I'm sorry,' " Burd, 60, whose neck is still held in a brace, recounted later. "I said, 'I know.' "

Later, it was James Footman's turn. The 15-year-old didn't even know Burd, but he had punched him three times in the face after Boykin's shove pushed Burd into him. "I apologize for what I did to you. I would like to shake your hand," Footman said as he offered his hand to Burd.

While the expressions of regret helped, they didn't erase Burd's anger, or the fears he has for the first time in his life or his utter sense of bewilderment.

"I didn't ask to be in this situation," Burd told Judge Kevin Dougherty. "I am very angry, and I am upset."

The apologies came during an emotional sentencing hearing that culminated with the two teens' being ordered to long stints in detention facilities for their parts in the assault that left Burd with five fractured vertebrae in his neck and a brain injury.

The severity of Burd's injuries from the Feb. 23 attack heightened concern and raised public awareness about violence against teachers in the city's schools.

Boykin, a senior, who pleaded guilty three weeks ago to a single charge of aggravated assault, admitted following Burd into the hallway and pushing him twice after Burd confiscated his iPod in algebra class.

Boykin's actions caused Burd to fall into Footman, who happened to be in the hallway because he was cutting class.

Footman, who knew neither Burd nor Boykin, pleaded guilty last month to aggravated assault, conspiracy and related charges for punching Burd in the face three times.

Burd fell face-first onto the hallway floor.

Yesterday, Burd said his doctors had told him he was extremely lucky.

"I'm not paralyzed, and I'm not dead," he said. "I'm really going to be OK."