The mother of a middle school boy is speaking out after her son was choked out on a school bus by a much larger female student, and the school refused to handle the situation appropriately.
On January 23, Taylor Brock’s son was on a school bus when a female student came over and assaulted him, putting her hand around his neck and strangling him. The incident was captured on video – as most things are nowadays.
After her son’s school, Walt Whitman Middle School in Virginia, failed to take proper disciplinary action against the assailant; Brock decided to share the video and post her story for everyone to see.
She posted the story to her website, saying that she “didn’t truly understand how bad” the bullying was that her son experienced at school until her son came home crying with red marks on his neck.
Brock went straight to the school with the video and pictures of her son’s neck, hopeful that the school would expel the assailant. However, she was horrified to learn that the girl returned to school after only a brief suspension.
The mother also went to the courthouse and got a two-week protection order for her son that said the girl had to remain at least 50 feet away from her son at all times. She gave this order to the school, yet she found out that the girl still passes by her son in the hallway and has intentionally sat behind him at lunch despite knowing there was a protection order in place.
Neither the girl nor the school seems to be taking the court order seriously.
“The school’s reaction to my son being assaulted and strangled is a perfect example of how careless the school is towards acts of violence,” wrote Brock.
After Brock began speaking out about the bullying incident, other parents at the school reached out to her, saying that their own children have suffered from bullying, but the school has done nothing to stop it.
Brock also found out that the girl who assaulted her son is known for bullying at the middle school but mostly bullies her son because “he is an easy target as he is one of the shortest and skinniest children in his grade.”
The next action Brock took to protect her son was to get a two-year protection order. When she presented the evidence to the judge, he asked if the girl still attended the school. When Brock said she did, the judge was very confused and questioned why the school didn’t take further action, given the severity of the offense.
“The school has video of a crime and a protection order, and they still only believed that suspension was enough to keep my child safe,” said Brock.
UPDATE: (via WUSA-TV excerpt):
According to Virginia law, schools must notify essential staff once there is a protective order.
A guidance from the Virginia Department of Education says although schools are not legally responsible for enforcing a court order, safety should still be a priority. Officials can develop a safety plan, principals can collaborate with a parent, and a team can determine steps if the order is violated.
Fairfax County Public Schools acknowledged the incident and released this statement:
“The school administration handled the situation in line with the student discipline manual (FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities),” an FCPS spokesperson said. “We are unable to share further information due to federal privacy laws.”
Brock said VDOE has since reached out to her about the incident.
She plans on moving her son to another school as he continues to seek therapy.
Post a Comment