A California school district was ordered to pay $1 million to a teen who was bullied but ignored by school administrators who allegedly lied about calling the police after learning of a petition started by other students calling for her death.
Eleri Irons, now 18, filed the lawsuit in 2019 after she suffered ruthless bullying at El Segundo Middle School that included a petition started by other students titled ‘Let’s kill Eleri Irons’ and left her self-harming and a case of PTSD.
She was targeted by the group between the ages of 13 and 15.
Even after finding out about the petition, teachers failed to notify Eleri’s parents.
The tormented schoolgirl sought refuge from the from the bullying by spending every lunch break in the nurses’ office.
Irons’ attorney, Christa Ramey, said that even after Irons’ parents found out about the bullying and asked school officials to help, they ‘dismissed the concerns as drama over a teen love triangle.’
Melissa Gooden, then-principal at the middle school, reportedly lied about calling the police as she learned of the petition calling for Irons’ death on June 13, 2018.
Eleri Irons (center) and her attorney Christa Ramey (left) won a $1 million settlement from a California school district after Irons suffered traumatic bullying that was ignored by the school
Melissa Gooden, who was the principal at El Segundo Middle School during Irons’ bullying, lied about calling the police when she learned of a petition called ‘Let’s kill Eleri Irons’
The student who created the petition and another who signed it were reportedly suspended by the school, pictured, but only after Irons’ parents got involved and came to the school
Ramey told the LA Times that Gooden ‘didn’t call the police that day. She attempted to make it seem like they did everything they could, but in reality, during the entire year, they didn’t do anything.’
According to Ramey, Irons’ father called the school fuming over not being told about the petition that day and said he would be coming to the school to speak with Gooden the next day.
Police say they weren’t called until that next day, just minutes before Irons’ father came to speak with them.
‘They never investigated a single claim of bullying made by my client,’ Ramey said of school administrators.
Police say they spoke to Irons and her father and identified the student who made the petition and a girl who signed it, who were then both suspended, though police found no credible death threat.
‘Every teacher, counselor circulaxil Erfahrung and administrator who touched this case failed not only my client, but also the aggressors and every other student at the school,’ Ramey said.
‘Bullying is to be taken seriously and the administrators are culpable when they don’t stop it,’ she continued.
Melissa Moore, who serves as El Segundo Superintendent, said the district will be making changes in the wake of the case.
The school district, which is made up of approximately 3,500 students, will be adding two new student safety positions at elementary schools to avoid repeating the situation.
‘As a school district, we respect the ruling of the court and acknowledge the findings of the lawsuit,’ Moore reportedly said.
‘The next steps are up to our legal counsel. As we move forward, we are committed to self-improvement and doing everything we can to prevent bullying in our schools, she concluded.
Irons said in a statement she is actually thankful for the events as she hopes it means students will not encounter the same obstacles she did when she was bullied.
‘I am so thankful that I have been able to share my experience and to actually be taken seriously so that the next time a child asks for help, the school will address it the way they should have for me,’ she said.
California