School blamed gay student for the horrific bullying he endured. His two dads are suing.

[Behind the Aegis]

A family has filed a federal lawsuit against a New York City public school for not only failing to prevent, but furthering, homophobic treatment of their child after he came out as gay.

The school in question is Intermediate School 126 in Astoria, Queens, known as the Albert Shanker School for Visual and Performing Arts. A middle schooler has experienced two years of bullying and hostility from both peers and educators, both because he came out as gay and his parents are gay, the lawsuit alleges.

The student is only identified by the initials “D.S.” in the lawsuit filed in Manhattan Federal Court just over a week ago.

While attending I.S. 126Q, D.S. was attacked both verbally and physically by peers. They allegedly bullied him for “acting like a girl,” remarking him with slurs and insults such as “faggot ass” and “bitch,” and they would tell him “that he would be damned to hell by God because of his ‘lifestyle.’”

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[elleng]

1. Somehow, telling him "that he would be damned to hell by God because of his 'lifestyle'"

does NOT sound like it was heard/said much there/then.

Been a while since I've been in NYC.

[SunSeeker]

2. Hope they get a lot of money to serve as a deterrent for other schools' recalcitrance.

Turning a blind eye, or worse, excusing it and adding to the bullying, should be met with swift punishment of all administrators involved.

[DFW]

18. I agree. Ignoring and/or excusing bullying is overt complicity.

It should be handled as aggravated assault, since it took place over a period of time, and end in prison sentences for those "administrators" that condoned it by their deliberate inaction.

[Maraya1969]

3. I hope they win big. Whatever that entails.

Hard to believe how ignorant these teachers and administrators are.

I caught up with my HS music teacher on FB. He friended several of us. I could not believe what an absolute idiot he had become - Trump supporter. None of the other teachers that I know on FB from my high school are like him. Usually teachers are more liberal because they are more educated, but there are always the exceptions to the rule

[MLAA]

4. I hope this family wins a very significant settlement.

The school’s behavior was reprehensible

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. Blaming the victim is a sick policy

This will be a fun lawsuit to watch. I hope that the parents win a good size judgement

[Joinfortmill]

6. Horrible. Victim blaming needs to stop.

[chowder66]

7. That poor kid. I'm so glad he has his dads to fight for him.

On top of everything he was going through there was this.....

"D.S. had gone through seven foster homes by the age he was ten after being removed from the care of his birth family at seven, according to the New York Post. The last foster parents he had abandoned him at the hospital as he was getting a malignant brain tumor removed."


He's been through too much for a young man. I hope his life going forward gets better with every passing hour.

[demigoddess]

8. oh god! how can people do that? and now bullying?

I hope he wins a big settlement.

[chowder66]

9. I hope they win as well. That school needs to be schooled. nt

[smirkymonkey]

11. That is just heartbreaking. This poor kid has been through more tragedy than anyone should have

to endure in a lifetime. I really hope they win the lawsuit and that they find a place for him where he can feel accepted and happy.

[Solly Mack]

10. K&R

[AllaN01Bear]

12. heard this nonsense befoe .

[Silent3]

13. This is particularly surprising from a "School for Visual and Performing Arts"

I suppose it's a stereotype (even if a positive stereotype) that I expect people involved in arts and theater to be much more tolerant and progressive, not Bible-thumping bigots.

[H2O Man]

14. Recommended.

This sounds like a necessary suit, judging from what I've read here. I hope that the parents prevail. I say that because I am aware of some of the crap that happens at various schools, and am fully aware that I haven't heard both sides in this instance. Yet without question, it clearly needs to be heard in a court setting.

[Initech]

15. Guess 4 years of "Be Best" did a lot of good!

[RANDYWILDMAN]

16. This school needs some changes, right now

It is not hard to make your school safe for all children. You do have to do the hard work.

It's a very simple thing. If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.

I wish this child and his family all the best and hope they win their lawsuit.

[dsc]

17. Simply astounding

I can under stand that middle schoolers can be awful no matter what school they are in, but the staff at such a school one would think would have experience with LGBT people.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

19. Sue that garbage school into closure!

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