Claim: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, Grant Elementary Failed to Protect 8-Year-Old Student from Persistent and Harmful Bullying

LOS ANGELES, USA, January 22, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- An 8-year-old student at Grant Elementary School in Santa
Monica, through his mother Sarah A. Mahir, filed a government tort claim today against the
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District alleging that the district and its employees,
including principal Christian Fuhrer and the school’s teachers, ignored ongoing incidents of
physical and verbal abuse against the student and violated his civil rights through deprivation of
his rights to free speech, expression and protection from bodily restraint, harm, personal insult
and injury.

Although the student and Mahir consistently reported to the administration repeated instances
of bullying, tormenting, and aggression, the administration and teachers responsible for the
conduct of other students and the 8-year-old’s safety did not protect the student from severe
physical, emotional and mental injury, says the claim.

“The torture began shortly after his first day of kindergarten and has continued unchecked for
more than two years,” says Los Angeles attorney and bullying expert Christa Ramey, who
represents the African-American student.

“One student told him he looked like ‘poop.’ Others called him ‘gay’ and said he would go to
hell. Students threatened to kill him,” Ramey adds. “Sarah reported the bullying to the school,
but was told she was ‘over-reacting’ and he must be doing something to attract the
harassment. When her child began talking about suicide, however, Sarah knew she needed to
seek the assistance of an attorney in order to save him.”

According to the claim, between August 2017 and December 2019, students kicked, spat at and
pushed the claimant and verbally abused him daily. When his mother sought to move him into
a different first-grade classroom at the beginning of the 2018-19 school year, Fuhrer said she
submitted the request too late. The abuse became so severe, Mahir removed him from class for
two weeks to receive psychological counseling.

The claim also alleges the district improperly trains its employees to handle bullies and
responds inappropriately to student-against-student harassment and bullying. Fuhrer and Grant
teachers acted carelessly, negligently, improperly, willfully, and inadequately supervised and
monitored the claimant and other students during school hours, the claim asserts.

“The school turned a blind eye to the bullying and then intimidated and embarrassed him
when he asked for help,” says Ramey. “Instead of protecting a vulnerable child in their custody,
the school staff further victimized him. Would you send your child to school there?”

Mahir is seeking unspecified damages for past and future expenses for medical treatment and
other care for the claimant’s injuries; emotional trauma; future loss of earnings and ability to
earn; and past and future damages for pain, suffering, loss of functions and other personal
injury losses.

About Ramey Law P.C.
The husband and wife team John and Christa Ramey lead a firm of trial lawyers representing plaintiffs in
construction defect, catastrophic personal injury, medical negligence, wrongful death and business disputes
litigation. Christa began representing children harassed and bullied at school and on social media after she resolved
an incident involving her own child. As a result, she recognized that parents often need a legal advocate when
school districts are unresponsive or hostile to their mandate to protect all students under their care.

Brenda McGann
Newsroom PR
+1 310-649-1450
email us here

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