Father Of British Columbia Disabled 12 Year Daughter Files Human Rights Complaint After School Fails To Stop Bullying, Homophobia, And Physical Assault

In Canada, there tends to be a compliancy, well-earned, about the kinds of social woes that seem to abound with a kind of stunning commonplace in other countries, a story, therefore, from Surrey, British Columbia that serves as a reminder that things are not much better, the Now reporting that the father of a 12 year old disabled daughter has filed a human rights complaint against the Surrey school board, the girl an alleged victim of ongoing bullying by three classmates at Erma Stephenson Elementary. He, identified in British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal documents as “J.T.”, also alleges that school authorities failed to take any and all appropriate actions to stop the bullying and that the district failed to provide the girl, indentified as “T” with a “safe and respectful school experience.” The girl, who has cerebral palsy and a mental disorder, was repeatedly bullied by three girls who called her “dumb, lezzie, messy, retarded, stupid and weird legs,” in addition to hitting her over the head with a music stand in September, 2008. The complaint states that the events were brought to the attention of the principal by the parents and by teachers, but that no “meaningful discipline” was ever administered. The school district asked the tribunal to dismiss the complaint on the grounds that it was filed after a six-month time limit had expired, and that there was no continuing contravention of the Human Rights Code. Thankfully, the tribunal accepted the complaint.