Parents suing Central Islip School District claim bullies made their 13-year-old daughter suicidal
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- A legal claim over bullying has been filed against a Long Island school district for the third time in recent weeks.
The latest claim involves a middle school student who became suicidal as a result, according to her parents.
"They would call her names like she's a monkey, they would call her N word, they would tell her she's ugly," said Antionette Moore-Thomas, the girl's mother.
"Going to the school and bringing this to them and asking for help is like talking to a brick because I'm getting nowhere," said Gregory Thomas, the girl's father.
MORE: Special education student claims she was sexually assaulted by known bully in Central Islip
The Thomas' frustration is palpable. They detailed a litany of bullying against their 13-year-old daughter by a handful of girls at Central Islip Middle School.
"They would say they're going to jump her, they were gonna beat her up in the school," said Moore-Thomas. "One girl said that she was going to shoot her in the head. So all of this was printed out and taken to the school."
Their daughter shared troubling texts - being ashamed she's Black, hinting at suicide - and she took mace to school for protection. The school's only apparent action, according to her parents, was requiring the alleged bullies to use a different entrance.
MORE: Long Island father suing school district after 14-year-old daughter was attacked
"They have a psychologist, they have a social worker, they have guidance counselors. What are they doing in that school?" said Moore-Thomas.
"Where is the supervision? They ought to be more proactive," said Thomas.
It's the latest in a series of legal actions against school districts, including three in Central Islip. In the other two, a special education student claimed she was sexually assaulted by a known bully and a father claimed his daughter was attacked after an assistant principal should've taken action, but didn't.
Kenneth Mollins, the Thomas' attorney, said the incidents shared a common threat.
"The school has been told over and over and over again that there's bullying," said Mollins. "And they turned their back and did nothing. 'We'll take care of it,' is all they said."
"The answer sometimes to the district is doing nothing, is sometimes not aware of where their limitations are. So they may be going right up to the line of what they can do," said Joe Salamone, head of the Long Island Coalition Against Bullying.
Salamone said schools can better avail themselves of outside training and programming, which his group provides.
Parents can go beyond the district.
"Somebody's threating your life, that should be taken seriously, and that's something that not only would I bring to a school, but I would also call the police department about and file a report," said Salamone.
The Central Islip School District shared a long list of its anti-bullying and tolerance initiatives with CBS2, but had no comment on this latest case due to litigation.
Barbara LaMonica, a spokesperson for the district, told us:
As litigation has been commenced against the District it would be inappropriate to respond regarding the incident. The District undertakes all reasonable measures to safeguard its students.
The Central Islip School District has several antibullying and tolerance-promoting initiatives in effect. In October, all schools started Bullying Prevention Month where students engage in age-appropriate activities emphasizing diversity, kindness and inclusiveness. Additional initiatives include, but are not limited to, Words of Wisdom Character Education assemblies focusing on compassion and bullying prevention, Youth Enrichment Services, Suffolk County Sheriff and Suffolk County Police Commissioner department programs, and numerous multicultural activities.
The girl's parents moved their daughter to a middle school in another district, where they say she's been thriving for two months.