Expert: Jack Toomey - 3/8/2005

Question
At my school there is a boy, I'll call him "Jake". Anyway, a couple of friends and myself have been constantly complaining about him to the school. This has been going on for a couple of months though. In the recent months he has thrown a chair at a students head, constantly sexually harassed three students, yelled inappropriate thing at students while a teacher was standing right by, kicked a special education student, again while the same teacher stood by, vandalized people belongings at school, starts fight in the bathrooms, smokes at lunchtime, thrown snowballs at astudents car while he was driving, aiming for the windsheild to distract his driving and harassed a student about her religion. We filed a sexual harassment form against him and all that happened was a two day suspension and an apology letter which he was bragging he didn't even write. The girl who got harassed about her religion had her mother call the school at least three times a week about this and it was overlooked. Twice, the same teacher has stood by and watched as he kicked a special education student and yelled obsenities at others. I was wondering what else I could do about this, he is a danger to students and I know kids that don't even come to school anymore because he is here. Thank you for your time.

Answer
Hello,

   You have mentioned several crimes that this boy has committed.  You don't mention that you have called the police or made any type of complaint against him with the police.  I would suggest that since it is obvious that he is committing crimes in school.

  I would also suggest that your parents go higher in the school system.  In other words go outside the school to the superintendants office or whoever the principal reports to.  Make sure that you have documentation about all of this meaning dates, times, witnesses, etc.