Losing A Father Made Public

by J K
(Woodbury, MN, USA)

My daughter is 16. Beautiful, kind heart but has a social phobia disorder due to severe school bullying.

Two years ago my husband had a violent mental breakdown in our home and was removed. One month later he took his life.
At the time my child was attending a middle school. She was judged by school staff as well as students. One time specifically an article in a local paper was printed about her father's breakdown. My daughter and I did not know that this article existed.

The school counselor called me on my way to work to tell me that Jordyn was upset and that students surprised her; printed this out and passed it around. The article so personal and graphic—even listed our address—humiliated and destroyed her. She was very close to her father. They proceeded to taunt her by calling her father a "psycho" and other names. Her father was a well respected officer with no criminal past.

The school did not support my daughter. They re-traumatized the situation by doing nothing to those children. After months battling the staff I reported them to the US Board of Education. This became a civil rights violation.

Two years later, we wait. No support from the district (which immediately I enrolled my child into another school). Slowly the US Board of Education is finally coming up with a resolution agreement with this district, even though this damaged her self confidence, her academics, her well being.

The paper that published this article still has it up and can be Goggled under his name. The article inaccurate, still a reminder for my daughter and myself. This was a clean cut situation with a load of evidence. And here my daughter's future I fear for when she was in the care of unethical and brutal people. I am so upset with the high city taxes I pay and I can't trust my child to go to school in my area safely.

I wish all those that have experienced bullying the best outcome and that your child succeed and thrive above the ignorant.