The mother of an alleged bullying victim, who committed suicide last October, is suing the school district, superintendent and assistant principal of Fishers Junior High School for wrongful death.
The lawsuit alleges the school failed to protect Bell from nearly constant harassment and bullying and for failing to utilize federal laws designed to help students suffering from mental disorders.
According to the lawsuit some of the bullying included:
"Constant harassment and verbal abuse by other students in the classrooms and hallways based upon his race and perceived homosexuality; he had pieces of metal thrown at him during welding class; he had his shoes stolen which forced him to spend him to spend half of a school day barefoot."
Despite making complaints and attending several meetings, Delk said administrators failed to take any action to protect Bell.
However, in a letter released to parents Wednesday, Superintendent Dr. Brian Smith said teachers and administrators took multiple steps to assist the student and his family.
“We value the safety and security of all our students,” said Smith in the statement. “The faculty and staff at Hamilton Southeastern Schools are respectful, earnest and diligent in their daily efforts to provide a safe and encouraging environment for all of our students.”
Delk said the family knows the lawsuit will not bring Bell back, but he said they are hoping it will bring accountability to Hamilton Southeastern and other school districts where bulling may be prevalent.
The following is the full letter from Smith:
“You may have heard that HSE is the target of a lawsuit claiming that we did not react appropriately to accusations of bullying. Our teachers and administrators took multiple steps to assist the student and his family. We will not discuss the details of our actions in the media, but we believe there are factors that are very different from the ones alleged in the lawsuit and portrayed in the media. We are prepared to present these matters to the court, which is the proper forum for this discussion.
We value the safety and security of all our students. The faculty and staff at Hamilton Southeastern Schools are respectful, earnest and diligent in their daily efforts to provide a safe and encouraging environment for all of our students. Their personal dedication and support for our students is exemplary, and we are grateful for their service to the schools and community. We also appreciate the support we receive from our parents and community.”
