Parents of bullied teen sue Gimli school

LEE MORLEY / FLICKR PHOTO

The father of a boy who claims he was bullied and harassed routinely has filed a lawsuit against the Evergreen School Division.

By Austin Grabish, The Express Weekly News

The father of a Manitoba teen who claims he was bullied and assaulted numerous times at school, on the bus, and online is suing the Evergreen School Division for an undisclosed amount of damages.

Court documents obtained by the Express last week show a lawsuit was filed against the school division on March 13.

The statement of claim stems from bullying and harassment that began in 2011 at the Dr. George Johnson Middle School in Gimli.

The lawsuit alleges the now 16-year-old boy, who the Express can’t name, experienced harassment and bullying from certain students at the school while school administrators “made little effort” to address the perpetrators behind the abuse. 

The bullying went on to follow the boy when he entered Grade 9 at Gimli High School during the 2012 – 2013 school year, court documents allege.

The lawsuit said the abuse against the boy resumed almost immediately after he started attending classes at the high school, and it happened online too.

“He was subjected to a renewed pattern of harassment, which included verbal assaults, damage to his property, and physical violence,” court documents say.

The lawsuit went on to say the bullying led to “an unhealthy school environment that was deleterious” to the boy’s learning.

It also said despite numerous complaints made to school administrators the abuse continued, became more frequent, more harassing, and escalated in violence.

At one point RCMP became involved in the case, and the boy’s father alleges school administrators failed to co-operate with Mounties once involved, and even interfered with the investigation.

It’s also alleged the former principal of Gimli High School told the boy’s parents he should “work it out”.

“Moreover insinuations and statements attributed fault and responsibility to (the boy),” the lawsuit said.

Evergreen staffers are accused of breaching their duty to prevent bullying from happening under the Public Schools Act, and the Safe Schools Charter.

Evergreen School Division superintendent Paul Cuthbert said he could not discuss specifics of the lawsuit.

“This is a confidential student matter and it is a matter that’s before the courts so I’m not at liberty to discuss any details relating to this case,” Cuthbert said when reached by phone.

The superintendent went on to say the division has a code of conduct that addresses bullying and all schools are expected to follow it.  

“Bullying is treated very seriously,” Cuthbert said.

The boy is now attending classes at another school in the Interlake.

None of the allegations have been proven in court, and the school staffers named on the lawsuit are presumed innocent.

 -- First published in the Express Weekly News print edition April 2 2015 p.4