Bullying Lawsuit Dismissed Against SMSA

The civil lawsuit brought against St. Mary’s Springs Academy for alleged bullying of a student has been dismissed by a federal judge. Judge J. P. Stadtmueller’s 23-page decision dismissing the lawsuit was issued last Friday. He ruled there was insufficient evidence to show school officials were deliberately indifferent to the boy’s bullying. The boy’s mother filed suit last year after her son’s 6th grade classmates taunted him with months of racial slurs and unwanted touching. Some of the bullying included harassment on Facebook. The boy was withdrawn from the school in the spring of 2012. The judge also found that the boy also was involved in some racial taunts and aggressive actions. The school for its part investigated each of the bullying incidents. They also held parent-teacher conferences to go over reported bullying and provided bullying prevention training for teachers and students. The judge called it a “tough call.” He said he was reluctant to intervene because so many facts are disputed or were seen through the eyes of children.