2000-08-15 - 21:56:30
So there was an article today, on CNN.com, saying that a Seattle teenager with cerebral palsy was awarded
$300,000 for being "subjected to teasing and physical abuse by a fellow student for years". The harassing student called her "retard" and slammed her wheelchair into walls. The result was a hostile learning environment that damaged the student's self-esteem and left her with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The school district in question was deemed to have been negligent in supervision and caused the student "emotional distress by failing to do enough to protect her from harassment".
Let me go through this line by line. I don't have cerebral palsy, but I was subjected to teasing and physical abuse by fellow students for years in junior high just for being myself, which, like cerebral palsy, is something I cannot change. The harrassing students mooned me, made fun of my clothes and hair and yanked a swing out from underneath my feet so I landed knee-first in gravel. The result was a hostile learning environment that damaged my self-esteem (evidenced by the fact that I'm still talking about it) and may or may have not left me with post-traumatic stress disorder. The principal of the school in question, when confronted by my parents about the situation, said "well, maybe Wendy brings it on herself."
I'm not greedy. $100,000 would be just fine. (Though maybe the principal should have to cough up an additional $50,000 for getting my name wrong.)
