School Bullying Council

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By Drew Brooks
Staff writer

A lawsuit filed against the Cumberland County Board of Education alleges that school officials’ negligence led to an attack on a South View High School student who was being bullied.

Steven Michael Dunning, 21, and his mother, Susan Dunning Sans, filed the suit Monday in Cumberland County Superior Court.

The suit, which seeks more than $10,000, accuses school officials of allowing Dunning to be attacked in a locker room in April 2008.

Dunning was a senior who had been the victim of bullying for some time, according to the complaint. He was attacked by two students, one of whom was known to bully him, the complaint says.

Those students, Angel Luis Santana and Jabesh Clarence Reid, are not named as defendants in the lawsuit but were criminally charged after the assault.

The school board’s lawyer, David Phillips, said he was aware of the lawsuit but had not been served with a copy. He declined to comment.

According to the lawsuit, Dunning and other students were changing clothes in the locker room and were not under supervision of any school officials when Dunning was attacked.

Santana, who according to the complaint had an “uncontrolled penchant for violence and a history of violent conduct,” was taunting Dunning in an attempt to egg him into playing a game of slap boxing.

After Dunning declined, he turned away from Santana, according to the complaint. At that time, he felt something strike him on the left side of his jaw.

Dunning fell to one knee, then tried to cover his face with his hands, according to the complaint. He was then pummeled with kicks and blows to his head and shoulders, the complaint says.

According to a news release at the time of the attack, Dunning needed extensive surgery to correct gum and bone damage likely caused by the retainer he was wearing when hit.

The complaint said that Dunning’s jaw had to be wired for several weeks after the attack.

Santana, 20, of the 5400 block of Gilcrest Sands Drive, and Reid, 19, of the 2000 block of Daniel Boone Lane, were charged with aggravated assault inflicting serious injury.

According to the lawsuit, they were convicted in March 2009. Court records show Santana was convicted of misdemeanor assault inflicting serious injury and sentenced to 18 months of probation. He was required to write a 10-page book report and enroll in a physical training program.

Reid received a 60-day sentence for violating conditions of probation.

http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2011/04/07/1084550?sac=Home

Michelle Macleod, left, argues her son Dillon, 14, has been repeatedly bullied since September and his high school has not done enough to stop it. She is now suing the school board and looking to charge Dillon’s bully. (JAMIE LONG/QMI Agency)

OTTAWA – A south-Ottawa mother is planning to sue Ottawas largest school board and have charges brought against her sons alleged bully after a series of incidents since September.

Michelle Macleod says her son Dillon, 14, has been repeatedly targeted by another teenage boy at Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School in Barrhaven, and the school has not done enough.

The Grade 8 student told QMI Agency his locker was smashed an event captured on video and the other student spread rumours that Dillon was gay.

It started with pushing and shoving, then ripping my hood off, throwing my hat in the water, but then it escalated, said Dillon, who was afraid to tell his mom about the incidents.

The feud then boiled over Jan. 27 when the alleged bully asked Dillon to fight during the lunch break. He obliged and now has a laundry list of injuries, including a broken right hand.

Macleod didnt know about the fight until Monday four days later when the school contacted her about suspending Dillon for the school week.

They took absolutely no blame for their actions at all, Macleod said after meeting with the schools principal, vice-principal and school resource officer.

The officer even said bullying is not against the law and they said no bullying has been done regarding Dillon whatsoever.

The other student was suspended for an unknown length of time, but Macleod said he hadnt been suspended for any of his earlier actions.

I had previous conversations with the vice-principal regarding him being bullied, but in the meeting … they wouldnt admit to it.

The schools resource officer did not return phone calls over the past few days.

The board did say: There are two sides to every story, but wouldnt elaborate because the case involved an individual student.

All Ontario schools have an anti-bullying policy, which is legally required under the provinces Safe Schools Act.

The board told QMI Agency there is a progressive discipline approach, but Macleod argued it wasnt followed in this case.

Macleod said she went into the meeting looking for an apology and possibly some changes to the schools bullying policy. But the lack of remorse or receptiveness left her upset, she said, which led her to family lawyer Paul Jakubiak.

Jakubiak represented Kanata mother Krisha Stanton, who sued Ottawas Catholic School Board for $325,000 after her daughter was bullied in 2007. The case was settled out of court in November.

Jakubiak confirmed he is representing Macleod, but wouldnt comment any further.

They are meeting Friday to file the lawsuit.

jamie.long@sunmedia.ca

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2011/02/03/17144886.html