This week I read a story on a young girl, who had been repeatedly bullied by a fellow classmate when she was just 12 years old. Now a young woman at 22 years old Lousia Manning had the opportunity to go on a date with her childhood bully, but opted instead to stand him up, with a letter detailing emotional and physical pain caused by the bully.
In the letter, we learn that Louisa suffered for 3 years with an eating disorder, anxiety and low self-esteem. She ate less than an apple a day for 3 years. Both her physical and emotional well-being were severely damaged. The classmate called her “manbeast,” “hairy,” and “ugly” among other things. We are delighted that the young man has since apologized, but the take away here is the extreme health issues bullying caused this young woman. It’s wonderful that she felt vindicated and has moved on, but so many victims of bullying do not. The emotional and physical harm lasts a lifetime. Clearly the young woman has never forgotten the torment from her middle school years.
In an effort to help parents and school children combat bullying we have reached out to the school districts on Long Island and compiled the only master list of DASA coordinators. As part of the Dignity for All Students Act, New York is now mandated to have a staff member trained and designated to handle all bullying incidents on school property, including outdoor school grounds, parking lots, on school buses and at any school-sponsored event or activity. You may download this free resource at Longislandbullyreport.com. It serves as a complement to Bullying—Fighting Back: A Legal Guide for Parents of Bullied Children.
Our firm has become a leader in bullying cases and if your child is being bullied and has sustained serious mental or physical injuries please call us at 516-217-9097 to discuss your options. It is possible you may have a case.
Goldstein and Bashner
