Family sues Tukwila schools over bullying of son

[Guest guest]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/588140.html

Tacoma, WA - January 8, 2009

Family sues Tukwila schools over bullying of son

The Associated Press

Published: January 8th, 2009 12:05 AMThe family of a former Tukwila

student has filed a discrimination lawsuit, contending their autistic

son was the victim of almost daily harassment in middle school and

now suffers from anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder

as a result.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in King County Superior Court, says Tukwila

School District officials failed to protect the boy, now 20 and

identified in the suit as J.B.M., from bullying and tried to declare

him truant when his parents pulled him from classes.

Other boys at school beat up J.B.M.; shoved and pushed him; stole his

books; slapped, punched and kicked him; hit him on the head with

books; called him disparaging names; spit on him; and poured liquids

on him, the 17-page complaint alleges.

" It breaks my heart to see my son now, " J.B.M.'s mother, who

identified herself only as Peggy, said at a news conference Tuesday

in Seattle.

According to the suit, J.B.M. has Asperger's syndrome, a higher-

functioning form of autism.

District spokeswoman Jan Lande told The Seattle Times she couldn't

comment on the suit because it is a legal matter. But she said the

district has policies in place to ensure student safety.

The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages for discrimination,

harassment and retaliation. An earlier claim asked for $1.5 million

from the district.

J.B.M.'s father, , said the abuse began toward the end of sixth

grade at Showalter Middle School and continued through seventh grade.

The abuse was reported to school officials, who told J.B.M. to stick

up for himself, and no action was taken against the bullies, the

lawsuit said.

They also ignored warnings from an education specialist and district

psychologist that J.B.M. was the victim of bullying and the problem

needed to be addressed, the suit said.

Eventually the district moved J.B.M. to a private school outside the

district, where he felt safe, but later the district decided he

should attend High School with the boys who bullied him. The

family objected and took legal action; J.B.M. missed two years of

school during the process.

He graduated at 20 and is now taking special classes at Highline

Community College.

His attorney, Kinoshita Ward, said his parents would use any

money they win in the case to pay for vocational and educational

training for their son, as well as psychological counseling.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material

may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Guest guest]

It is a shame that it had to come to this, but I hope they win.

In a message dated 1/8/2009 6:07:55 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

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