the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Demarest NJ, a Demarest Board of Education lawsuit alleges that a transgender student faced years of bullying and harassment, with district staff failing to intervene. The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey Superior Court, claims the school neglected to protect the student, despite repeated reports from the family.
Bullying Allegations Against Demarest Schools
The student, who transitioned in September 2016, enrolled at Demarest Middle School as female. However, according to the lawsuit:
🚨 School staff failed to address bullying incidents
🚨 Students repeatedly harassed and isolated her
🚨 A counselor allegedly lied to child protective services
🚨 The school reportedly punished another LGBTQ+ student who defended her
Key Incidents Highlighted in the Lawsuit
📌 May 2022 – Parents asked school officials to stop rumors about their child’s gender identity.
📌 June 2022 – A Snapchat chain ridiculing the student surfaced; another student allegedly pushed and insulted her in the hallway.
📌 2023 School Year – A student threw ice cream at her and tried to hit her.
📌 Christmas Concert Incident – Peers allegedly mocked her when she sang.
📌 Volleyball Game Incident – Students reportedly surrounded and taunted her.
School’s Response Under Scrutiny
The lawsuit claims Principal John Regan and Superintendent Michael Fox failed to take action. Regan allegedly reviewed security footage of an incident but never followed up. In June 2024, the school declared the family’s harassment complaints unfounded.
Seeking Justice Under NJ Law
The family is suing under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, citing:
✅ Emotional distress
✅ Mental pain and suffering
✅ Humiliation and loss of self-esteem
They are seeking damages and legal fees, arguing that the school district failed in its duty to protect LGBTQ+ students.
What’s Next?
As the lawsuit progresses, the Demarest Board of Education faces scrutiny over how it handles bullying and discrimination complaints. Superintendent Michael Fox has yet to comment on the case.
💬 What do you think? Should schools be held accountable for not addressing bullying? Let us know in the comments!
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If your little boy can’t stop pretending to be a girl, the “emotional distress” “mental pain and suffering” and “humiliation and loss of self-esteem” began long before the alleged incidents of bullying. Long before. At home. Mom and Dad. Looking at you.
On the other hand, the alleged assaults upon this student are unacceptable, regardless of what you think of a “trans” person. At that point, she was well within her rights to man up and start slamming some faces into lockers. Quite the missed opportunity, because as a protected class, she probably would have gotten away with it.
Probably not the best environment for this child, since public middle school can be rough on a well balanced child.
Correct.
This child needs psychiatric care.
did they use the wrong pronouns? If so, throw the book at them!
That book is lost forever.
Bullying issues start with the parents. I know of someone who was bullied in school many decades ago due to religious reasons. The bully instigator solicited help from many fellow students but wouldn’t do the actual bullying herself. The parents of the instigator were instigators themselves in the neighborhood. They spread false rumors about the family of the individual being bullied. It eventually stopped when the mother of the person being bullied not only spoke to school officials but also the parents of some of those who were doing the bullying. The bully and her family eventually moved away.