Bullying results in $4M settlement

A middle-schooler was punched in the stomach by a bully. That punch caused a clot in the artery that supplies blood to the spine, leaving the kid paralyzed from the waist down. The family, which says it warned this district repeatedly of the bully and his tendencies, just reached a settlement for $4.2 million:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jg2qFzdtajSX3wpit9hdBvtknAlA?docId=2a8ef53a4d054c83a0ce10b259b8539f

 

Thought this was going to be about Shotglass & Piotr.

 

That will serve the students of the school district well. The school district will just reach up and grab $4.2 off the money tree.

 

Ultimately, what happens to the bully, his parents, etc., in cases like this?

 

Good. Maybe this will teach school administrators to take action in these cases instead of pretending it goes away when the bullied person stops asking for help.

 

Not if they can't admit any wrongdoing.

"The Ramsey Board of Education released a statement Wednesday denying any wrongdoing and saying that it was the district's insurance carriers that decided to enter into the settlement and will pay it out.
"The district's character education and harassment/intimidation/bullying initiatives and reporting practices are leading edge," the statement said. "All programs in this area far exceed all of the criteria established by the state of New Jersey."
Both Youngman and the board said the settlement did not include any admission of liability or fault on the part of the district."

 

Schools will simply need to pay out a few more $4.2 million suits then.

 

If only they'd called the cops.

 

Oh, the insurance company paid it? Awesome. They love to take money out of their own pockets and give it out in settlements. It won't have any effect on how they charge school districts. Win-win for everybody.

 

How about everyone telling their kids that watching bullying isn't good enough, that they need to step in to dissuade bullying? I believe that's the message of the film that just came out.

The $4.2M figure is huge but that's the unfortunate circumstance that the kid got a blood clot, chances of that are very slim but the District hit the "lottery" with that victim. Shame for him because $4.2M or $60M, its not going to make up for the medical damage.

 

Agreed. I know that most disabled people can and do lead happy and fulfilling lives. But would I voluntarily trade being in a wheelchair until I die for $4.2 million? No way.

 

$4.2 million sounds like a pretty fair number to cover the lifetime of medical care and assistance he will need. And the school district did ignore the situation and is culpable. Not seeing the problem here.