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Parents Sue School District After Their 13-Year-Old's Suicide Following Sexting Bullying
Filed under: In The News, Bullying
A Florida school district is being sued by the parents of an eighth grade student who committed suicide in 2009, after being harassed by classmates due to a sexting incident, Reuters reports.
The news service says Donna and Charles Witsell claim Hillsborough County school officials did not take appropriate action after learning their 13-year-old daughter had suicidal thoughts, according to the lawsuit filed this week in Tampa, Fla., federal court.
Hope Witsell hanged herself Sept. 12, 2009, after students viciously bullied her for texting a suggestive photo of herself to a boy, according to the news service.
After her daughter's death, Reuters reports, Donna Witsell found a copy of a "no-harm contract" signed by Hope the day before she took her life. According to the lawsuit, the contract stated that Hope agreed not to attempt suicide and would contact a school social worker if she had suicidal feelings, the news service reports.
The Witsells say the school's social worker failed to alert them -- or the school psychologist, principal, school resource officer or the girl's counselor -- to concerns about Hope, including signs the teen had been cutting herself, Reuters reports.
"The parents accuse the school district of negligence and violating the teen's and their own constitutional rights," Reuters reports, adding that the school district does not comment on pending litigation.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
4-16-2011 @ 8:05AM
lazlacy said...While I can understand a parents concerns when they aren't notified
about there children's welfare when school officals know someone is
contemplating suicide or harming themselves, I also wonder if the
parents are shifting the blame outside of the home.
I get tired of seeing everyone sue everyone over everything. Take
responsiblity for your children and parenting starts at home. We
depend on everyone else to raise our children and too readily blame
"someone else" when things dont work out the way we wish.
Maybe the parents weren't paying enough attention to what there child
was doing, or maybe there was nothing they could have done to prevent
this but its not just the schools fault their daughter did this. There
is no one factor to blame here. Teenagers are allowed too much freedom
very often at an early age which leads to destructive behavior due to
bad decisions that could often be avoided if parents took the time to
actually parent their child.
Teenagers are moody and secretive at that age, but it is your
responsiblity to be their parent not their friend. When they grow up
they will thank you. Still very sorry for their loss but no one factor
is to blame here.
Reply
4-17-2011 @ 10:36PM
isisreptiles said...The schools have a responsibility for the welfare and safety of their students. If school personnel felt that this girl was even a remotely possible suicide risk, they were negligent in not informing her parents about her mental state.
Reply