HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A South Florida school district says they are taking a situation where a seventh-grader who was beaten inside a middle school so badly by multiple students that she became unconscious. But the girl’s mother and anti-bullying activists tell Local 10 News that the district and the school aren’t doing enough.
It happened on Friday, April 1, when the girl was jumped by multiple students at Gulfstream Academy.
In a video caught on a cellphone, you can see the girl’s hair being pulled, and then she is attacked on the ground.
The girl’s mother, Christina Neptune, says she’s traumatized every time she sees the video.
Neptune said her daughter suffered an ankle injury, swelling to her face, and is now dealing with ongoing headaches.
Because her son tried stepping in to help his sister, Neptune said both of her kids are being threatened.
“My kids are kind of scared; they don’t want to return to this school,” Neptune said.
Eric Pettus, an anti-bullying advocate, called Gulfstream Academy a “gladiator school.”
On Wednesday, Pettus along with other anti-bullying activists and Neptune wanted to speak with the principal of the school about a resolution.
They were told that the principal wasn’t available.
“I’m trying to get answers and it’s like it’s a dead-end every time,” Neptune said.
Crystal Foster, an activist with the group “We Stand For Justice” wants the principal of the school held responsible.
“We want Ms. Tarshé Freeman, the principal of Gulfstream Academy . . . we want her removed and we will fight until we get her removed,” Foster said.
Broward County Public Schools released a statement about the incident.
“School staff immediately responded and intervened. Emergency responders evaluated one student at the school. No students were transported. The students responsible for the altercation received appropriate school disciplinary consequences in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct.”
Neptune said she also wants the students responsible for recording the video and sharing it on social media should be punished because sharing that video is only causing more harm to her two children.