PORTLAND, Ore. — The mother of a student in the Centennial School District is suing the district, saying her daughter was bullied and attacked at school and the district did little to keep her safe.
The 7th grade girl was sent to the hospital on two separate occasions after being attacked by classmates, the lawsuit claims. She first received treatment for a broken wrist, and later for a concussion.
"It’s actually robbed her of her childhood, she’s afraid to leave the house, she’s afraid to go to the grocery store," said Emily James, an aunt of the unnamed student, who said she's speaking on behalf of the family.
The girl's mother, Khristayl Nelson, is seeking $1 million in damages from the school district, claiming staff did little to punish the alleged attackers and failed to create an adequate safety plan for her daughter at school after she reported the incidents multiple times.
James said her niece, who took special education classes for a learning disability, is now being homeschooled.
"Even after switching to a new school and trying again, the cyberbullying just continued and they found her there," James said. "She’s having suicidal ideation, self-harm talk, and it’s scary, we all want the best for her."
A spokesperson for the Centennial School District said the lawsuit involves a minor, so the district can’t give more details at this time.
The district "remains focused on the academic and social well-being of students and is committed to ensuring they have a safe and secure learning environment," the spokesperson said in a statement.
James said the district waited 16 days after the second attack to create a safety plan for her niece.
The lawsuit claims the plan was "minimal at best," and involved avoiding cracked doors, informing adults of the situation and not talking to her alleged attackers.
James said the online bullying has been worse than the physical attacks for her niece, saying "broken bones heal but the damage [from cyberbullying] does not."
"What broke my heart was doing the research on bullying that leads to suicide — how many children have to die before we change something? When do those numbers matter? Because they’re staggering," she said.
The lawsuit claims the plaintiff was first attacked in October 2021 by a male student who slammed her into a wall, breaking her left wrist.
In January 2022, the plaintiff was attacked by a female student outside in a school common area, the suit claims, who punched the plaintiff in the head and face and pulled her hair.
James shared a video of this incident with KGW. The video shows an adult stepping in to break up the fight.
James said she has heard from multiple parents and community members who've shared with her similar bullying experiences involving their children and family members.
"I want people to stand up, maybe I have to be the one to rock the boat but let’s rock the boat together," she said. "If not, it's just going to continue to get worse."