After Keaton Jones Video, Mom Says 'I Feel Like We're Not Racist'

MAYNARDVILLE, TN — Kimberly Jones posted a heart-wrenching video on her Facebook page last week of her son Keaton sharing — while fighting back tears — how he was bullied at Horace Maynard Middle School. Keaton said other students called him ugly, made fun of his nose and told him he had no friends. Bullies also poured milk on him and put ham down his clothes, he said.

"Just out of curiosity, why do they bully?" Keaton said in the video. "What's the point of it? Why do they find joy in taking innocent people and find a way to be mean to them? It's not OK.

"People that are different don't need to be criticized about it. It's not their fault. If you are made fun of, just don't let it bother you."

The video, which was watched more than 18 million times, led to the creation of a Go Fund Me account that raised more than $56,000 for the boy over just three days. Keaton was also invited to attend a Tennessee Titans football game, hang out with Dana White at the Ultimate Fighting Championship headquarters and even watch the premiere of the new Avengers movie next year with Chris Evans.

But then, curious internet sleuths began digging into the family's background, and now Kimberly Jones is on national media outlets defending herself against racism accusations.

She told Good Morning America and CBS This Morning on Tuesday that a photo of her family with a Confederate flag posted on social media was real, but that it didn't make her a racist. The photo surfaced on Monday, three days after Jones posted the video.

"I feel like anybody who wants to take the time to ask anybody who I am or even troll through some other pictures, I mean I feel like we're not racist," Jones told ABC News. "(The photo) was meant to be ironic and funny and extreme."

She added, "I am genuinely, truly sorry. If I could take it back I would."

"I've said I spent most of my life being bullied and judged because I wasn't racist," Jones told CBS News.

In a statement to media, the Tennessee school district where Keaton is a student said bullying isn't allowed.

"We must provide an academic environment that is safe, civil and supportive," Union County Public Schools director James Carter said in the statement. "We do not and will not tolerate bullying and have a policy in place" that addresses it.

Principal Greg Clay, at Horace Maynard Middle School where the boy is enrolled, said he wasn't aware of Jones being repeatedly bullied. He added that the incident described in the video had been resolved weeks ago.

"It's not as rampant as the video would have you believe," Clay said. "I can't tell you what was done, but I can tell you action was taken with the children."

On Tuesday, Keaton was visiting the University of Tennessee campus. Tennessee football player Tyler Byrd tweeted a photo showing the boy shaking hands with Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer.

Keaton https://t.co/SmkWaiU9Jz
— Tyler Byrd (@D1fuzzymuffin17) December 12, 2017

Photo credit: Screenshot of YouTube Video