Bully Victim Gets $1 Million
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Posted by Barbara Pytel Jun 1, 2007 |
1994
Ben Cox was bullied by an older student when in lower elementary grades. Was he called "ugly" or "stupid?" No, the bullying was much worse.
- Punched until unconscious
- Lost a tooth when forced to eat his clothing
Woodberry Public School
The school did nothing to stop the little child's pain. In fact, when his mother called the Department of Education, she was told that being bullied builds character. [Leonie Lamont, The Sydney Morning Herald, smh.com.au, May 15, 2007]
Changed Schools
The mother moved her son out of this school to one that had better control of students but Ben's life did not improve. She began seeking counseling help for her son but he could not seem to recover from the trauma he suffered at Woodberry.
After many years, it was learned that Ben has a family history of anxiety and doctors predict that Ben will have the following in adult life:
- no romantic relationships
- no friends
- anxiety
- depression
- separation anxiety disorder
- post traumatic stress disorder
Judge's Verdict
The judge in the case determined that Ben would never have a normal life because of the school's inaction mixed with his genetic predisposition and awarded Ben $1 million. Pain and suffering alone was $213,000. Ben spends his days on disability pension playing with computer games and unable to cope with any relationships in the outside world.
Read: Cyber-Bullying, Suicides Are Up
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2007 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.