Jon Thomas Carmichael was 13 years old. He was a student in the Joshua school district. Last year, he hanged himself at his family's farm. His family is suing the Joshua school district, the superintendent, and other staff members.
Jon Thomas was the victim of what his family and their attorney call bullying. What the child suffered is unconscionable. On different occasions, he was thrown into a trash bin, stripped, and had his head "flushed" in the school toilets. His family says the school ignored his plight.
My question is where were mom and dad? These were not childish pranks. These were criminal assaults. If it had been my child, and I received no help from the school district, I would have called the police. In fact, why have the boys who perpetrated these assaults not been charged?
We hear far too much about bullying. Verbal taunts and juvenile pranks are one thing. Kids should be taught to stand up to them, because there will always be those in life who don't like you and who will taunt you. Physical assault, however, is not mere bullying -- it's a crime. And if mom and dad were negligent in reporting the assaults against their son, how can they now blame the school district?
"Parents of boy who killed himself sue district." The Dallas Morning News; March 30, 2011; p. 7B.
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2 comments:
I will tell you what the "Police" stand is on the whole thing and the problem is actually heavily rooted in the legal system.
If the parents call the police, its one childs word against many others. Even if its a he said he said issue, a report will be taken, and until you actually SEE something. You have to see it, you cant assume it, or see even the results of it, you have to see it happen, not one thing gets done about it. Nothing! The police in some places wont even come talk to you, you file the report online yourself.
So, anonymous, if someone steals your purse at Wal-Mart, and no one sees it, then it's just your word against the perp's, and you're just out of luck? I don't think so. The law does not allow one person to assault another and it not count unless somebody saw it. That's why we have judges and juries. A charge is brought, and the judge and jury decide . . . not the police.
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