Taking a Stand Against Bullying
News stories about bullying have flooded TVs and newspapers in recent months. Both parents and students are becoming more and more aware of the seriousness of this topic, and the devastating ramifications it can cause. Many instances result in students being afraid to go to school due to harassment or physical injury, or even worse, taking their own lives when the abuse has become too overwhelming.
A recent court ordered a New Jersey school district to pay $4.2 million in damages to settle a lawsuit that alleged the schools did not do enough to stop a bully from paralyzing another student. Sawyer Rosenstein, a 12-year old middle school student, filed complaints with his school about being bullied and asked for help. He wrote: “I would like to let you know that the bullying has increased. I would like to figure out some coping mechanisms to deal with these situations, and I would just like to put this on file so if something happens again, we can show that there was past bullying situations.” Despite his complaints, nothing was done to stop the bullying, and, three months later, the bully assaulted Rosenstein, punching him in the abdomen. The punch caused a clot in a major artery that supplies blood to the spine, leaving Rosenstein paralyzed from the waist down.
If you or a loved one have been a victim to bullying, there are steps you can take to protect yourself, and to receive compensation for your damages. Call Bache & Lynch today for a FREE consultation: (520) 293-5300. For more information on bullying, visit stopbullying.gov