Parents File Bullying Lawsuit Against Fairport Central School District
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When it comes to bullying, enough is enough for the parents of a former Fairport middle school student.
Recently a half-a million dollar lawsuit was filed against the Fairport Central School district
It alleges district administrators and teachers were inadequate in their response to a student being bullied over a two year time span.
The parents nor the students involved are identified in this lawsuit. According to the family's lawyer, it was filed Friday as a last result to solve an ongoing problem.
According to a 19-page lawsuit, the student was the target of unrelenting peer-to-peer bullying that included sexual harassment, and extensive verbal and physical assaults.
The district has not yet been served with the suit. But Superintendent Jon Hunter say he's familiar with the family who filed it.
"We are working hard on behalf of the student and we are working collaboratively with the family," said Hunter.
According to the family's attorney, Jeff Wicks, not hard enough; which is why the family is suing for a half a million dollars for punitive damages and negligence.
The lawsuit says as a result of the students trauma, anxiety, and stress, the family incurred medical expenses, and legal fees. The document also says the family may have private high school costs, since their child was advised by a psychologist to leave the district.
"At this juncture, we aren't looking at those monetary pieces; we really aren't," said Hunter.
"Kids are never about money, kids are about success, kids are about achievement, are about caring," he added.
The lawsuit names the principal and a counselor at Martha Brown Middle School, where the student attended seventh grade. It says while there, the student was taunted and teased almost on a daily basis. It even says one incident the student had a lacrosse stick jammed into his buttocks by another student.
According to the lawsuit, a psychologist advised the parents to transfer their child to Johanna Middle School for eighth grade. Still, the parents claim, the bullying didn't stop there. The lawsuit names Johanna's assistant principal and a gym teacher for not doing enough when more incidents continued by other students.
"Discipline actions are part of any and all incidents in regard to bullying and harassment. I can't speak to this specifically because we need confidentiality in regard to all students involved in this law case," said Hunter.
Hunter, who is also named in the lawsuit, says bullying of any nature is not tolerated by the district or any of its employees. He believes the district's actions have been immediate and extensive.
"If and when and should there be a lawsuit, that won't change our commitment to this family, to this student or to any students in this school district," he said.
Wicks says the family has 120 days from the day the lawsuit was filed to serve the district with it. He did not say when they plan to do that.