$1.2 million suit claims Enumclaw School District ignored repeated bullying, assaults

An Enumclaw teen has filed a $1.2 claim against the school district, alleging his middle school ignored repeated bullying that included a violent assault.

The bullying began in 2012 at Thunder Mountain Middle School and continued for more than a year when the victim was in 7th and 8th grade, says attorney Yvonne Ward.

She says what started as regular verbal abuse escalated to an attack by several other students at a school function.

“He was surrounded by a group of students and several of them jumped in, kicked him, hit him in the mouth, while another student video taped it,” Ward says.

Ward says the teen suffered a bloody nose, bruised ribs and broken braces in the assault.

The assault was one of over 30 reported incidents documented by the school itself, Ward says. The claim includes a detailed log kept by the school of the abuses, which included other students regularly calling him names, shoving, hitting and assaulting the victim.

The victim’s family also notified the Enumclaw Police Department, which notified the school, the claim says.

The claim alleges the only steps the school ever took was to tell the victim to “change his route” on his way to class to avoid the bullies, and switch locker locations.

“We believe his school has created a culture that allows these bullies to run rampant, and the school is simply apathetic about bullying and harassment,” Ward says.

In a statement, the District disputes the charges:

Due to Student privacy laws, the District cannot comment on the allegations about what happened two years ago. We can state, however, that school administrators met with the parents and the student as recently as this August and there have been no concerns raised by them this year or last year about harassment or bullying.

The District takes allegations regarding student harassment or bullying very seriously. We are committed to promoting a safe learning environment for all students and actively work to instill positive character traits and values in our students. Any student who believes he or she has been the target of bullying is encouraged to report such incidents to any District staff member. The District investigates all reported bullying and takes appropriate corrective measures if a complaint is substantiated. The parents could have elevated their concerns to the superintendent and then the school board if they were not satisfied with the school’s handling of their concerns. They did not do so.

Ward disputes the district’s claims. A letter from the teen’s father sent to the principal in 2013 details the assault at the school function, demanding action. The letter was also sent to the superintendent, despite the district’s denials to the contrary, Ward says.

The boy, now a sophomore in high school, still suffers anxiety and fear from the repeated abuse, Ward says.

But she credits his high school with creating a safety plan that has kept the bullies away from him, and he’s doing better, she says.

“It shows you that things can be done by a school,” Ward says.

Ward says the boy and his family decided to file the claim now because it is national anti-bullying month, and to ensure no other child suffers “such horrific abuse.”

KIRO Radio’s Jillian Raftery contributed to this report