According to the lawsuit, Bass was on the honor roll, played sports and was elected by her peers to a top position in student government before her trouble began earlier this year. As activities director, she proposed holding the senior prom with other schools nearby.
A clique self-named "Oprichniki" allegedly bullied Tatum Bass for months and it is alleged that other students called her "retarded". Bass has ADD.
Bass said in the suit that the girls turned on her, calling her "stupid" and peppering her with profanity and insults. She said she was bullied in front of hundreds of people at a school dance, in classes, around campus, in text messages and online on the Facebook social networking site.
"This was the first time that negative attention was drawn to her disability at (the school)," the lawsuit said. "Oprichniki members were at the forefront of taunting Tatum in class and advising others about her disability." via usatoday.com
The school issued a statement "that the lawsuit's claims "as portrayed in the media will be defended vigorously, and we believe that a comprehensive hearing of the facts will result in the exoneration of our school."
3 comments:
My rhetorical question is: how can a school ever be exonerated when bullying has occurred? No one's going to bring a case like this unless there is substantial evidence. It's no more acceptable than gender-based bullying.
::nodding:::
The lawsuit might be a face saving device for the disappointed parents. I have a very close relationship with the school as a parent of two daughters who attend. I really doubt this happened. Tatum's parents made a terrible mistake thinking a lawsuit would ever help her. I am so sorry first for her lack of judgement compounded by her parent's mistake.
The school will be fine, it is a close and caring community since 1843. Tatum will be fine but it will take her time. I am praying for them.
The media attention is an annoying distraction for my girls who are trying to take their exams. Why should they suffer because Tatum chose to cheat and tried to weasel out of it ??
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