Bullying
Presented By: Carolyn Stone
Counselor Educator University of North Florida
Past President ASCA
cstone@unf.edu
Green v. City of New York (1991)
Basics of Case: Junior High student fatally shot
on campus school yard.
Key Issues: Voluntary school liability
Results of Case: The courts awarded the mother
monetary damages for medical expenses and
pain and suffering.
Stevenson v. Martin County
Board of Education (2001)
Basics of Case: A 10-year-old boy was
repeatedly attacked and harassed by fellow
students.
Key Issues:
Voluntary withdrawal
School responsibility to create a safe environment.
Results: The case was dismissed.
Wilson v. Beaumont
Independent School District (2001)
Basics of Case: A mildly retarded middle school
student was picked on and anally raped by
another student.
Key Issues: Sexual Harassment under Title IX
Results of Case: Summary Judgment, not
enough evidence for Title IX.
Smith v.
Guliford Board of Education (2005)
Basics: 9th grade ADHD student bullied to the
point of withdrawing from the high school.
Key Issues:
What is the school’s responsibility in bullying cases?
Implications of student with disability.
Results: The case was dismissed by the district
court.
Theno v. Tonganoxie
Unified School District (2005)
Basics of Case: A student was harassed from
seventh-eleventh grade.
Key Issues:
Harassment based on gender
District acting with deliberate indifference
Results: Theno was awarded $250,000 initially
and later an additional $268,793.51 for attorney
fees to be paid by the school district.
Shaposhnikov v. the Pacifica
School District & John Does 1-10
Basics of Case: A competitive dancer was
taunted with homosexual slurs in middle school.
Key Issues:
School District Immunity
Parental Responsibility
Results: The school district was not held liable.
The parents of the aggressors were held in a
separate suit.
References:
Bloom, L. (2007). School bullying in Connecticut: Can the statehouse and the courthouse fix the
schoolhouse? An analysis of Connecticut's anti-bullying statute. Retrieved March 31, 2008,
Web site: https://www.law.uconn.edu/journals/cpilj/contents/archives/vol7/Bloom.pdf
Conn, K. Bullying in K-12 public schools: Searching for solutions. Retrieved March 31, 2008, from
CEPI: Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute Website:
http://www.cepionline.org/backupsite-11-01-06/policy_issues/bullying/bullying_in_k-12.html
Stevenson ex rel. Stevenson v. Martin County Bd. of Educ., 534 U.S. 821, 122 S.Ct. 54, 151
L.Ed.2d 23, 69 USLW 3780, 70 USLW 3037, 70 USLW 3228, 70 USLW 3234 (U.S. Oct
01, 2001) (NO. 00-1821)
Theno v. Tonganoxie Unified School Dist. No. 464, 394 F.Supp.2d 1299 (D.Kan. Oct 18, 2005)
(NO. 04-2195-JWL)
Wilson v. Beaumont Independent School Dist., 144 F.Supp.2d 690 (E.D.Tex. May 08, 2001) (NO.
1:00-CV-0045)
Wykes, S.L. (2005, October 15). Parents settle suit for alleged bullying by their children. Retrieved
March 31, 2008, from chron.com Web site:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3397491.html
(2005). School safety/discipline manual. Retrieved March 31, 2008, Web site:
http://www.sde.idaho.gov/sdfs/docs/Publications/Section2.pdf