‘They Threw My Grandson’s Life Away Like Trash’
Laura Waters is managing editor of NJ Education Report, where this report was originally published.
The grandmother told NJ Ed Report, “they threw my grandson’s life away like it was trash.” She also said there have been four other suicide attempts within the district, that she had filed two complaints of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB), and that one of his teachers made “monkey” gestures mocking him. (In the teacher’s case, the HIB complaint was judged valid.) “It’s a modern-day lynching,” she said. He was also the victim of cyber-bullying.
The student has suffered much loss; his mother died from Covid-19, as did four other relatives. He has a history of depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.. After his grandmother’s advocacy, he enrolled at the Gateway To College Program at Camden County College, where he is in a dual-enrollment program and on track to finish high school and simultaneously earn college credits.
The grandmother says she has contacted Haddon Heights’ superintendent, the principal of the high school, the Merchantville Police Department, the New Jersey Education Department, the Office of Civil Rights, the Department of Child Protective Services, and Congressman Donald Norcross, who is her legislative representative.
Haddon Heights Public Schools has not responded to NJ Education Report’s request for comment.
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Bully hot line is a joke. My daughter was bullied then pushed onto a locker where she suffered having received 14 stitches from the incident. The school is Carver E and S in Philadelphia. The principal Darryl Johnson did nothing to the boy that attacked my daughter. My daughter had to learn to walk, talk, eat, read, count all the while the boy stayed in school with no disciplinary acts. Schools in general are horrible we need to home school our children to save their lives. School administrators are only in it for the money while our children lose their lives. No police were informed nothing was done for my daughter. I urge anyone reading this DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL!! Home school all the way. If we home school then officials will listen.
I was bullied when I was in middle school and high school especially when I developed early. I had 34C breasts by the time I was 13 years old. So the boys looked at my breasts with goo-goo eyes and a couple of the girls thought I stuffed my bra. Anyway, that day we had gym class and they found out real quick that I didn’t need to stuff my bra. I was big enough so that is when the bullying really started with 3 of the girls until I left the school in the middle of 12th grade because we moved away. Anyway, it was horrible to be so BIG at 13 yes of age but I wouldn’t trade my big boobs for anything because they kind of gave me confidence in myself.
Unfortunately this is not a racial problem it’s a problem for all kids. My son’s were relentlessly bullied in jr and sr high school. Both were gifted with high IQs, they failed to reach their potential. My youngest suffered PTSD and severe depression from constant bullying. I begged his schools to do something. They did nothing. My son, now 40 suffers from self doubt, depression, insecurities and PTSD all related to relentless bullying. I suffered at the hand of bullies in the same district. The teachers often joined in. Bullying is a huge problem in this country. Reducing it to a racial issue cheapens it. Your son was bullied for his accomplishments. Not his race. If you explained this to him he might experience less damage to his self esteem. I will pray for your son. Nobody’s child should go through this torture under the noses of teachers and administrator’s!! Period.
Did the teacher make monkey signs and gestures at your children? Which is known to be meant as derogatory statement towards people of color. The fact that you try to negate this family’s experience screams entitlement. Your experience is yours. Their experience is theirs. Just because racism is not a factor in all negative experiences doesn’t it wasn’t a factor in this experience.