Parents sue school district for $5,000,000

**Flag Guy** · 06-05-2008, 06:57 AM

because their son got a pepper belly?????

WOODTV.com & WOOD TV8: Grand Rapids news, weather, sports and video | Hazing victims' parents sue Coopersville for more than $5 million

Sexual assult with a toothbrush is a little more severe, but not $5 million severe. I hope the jury tosses this case out, and makes the parents pay the legal fees

**dosry5** · 06-05-2008, 07:30 AM

I think the key sentence in the story is this.."Allegedly, the term "shark bait" sent a message to other players on the team to pin down the victims, usually smaller athletes, and begin the hazing."

I was smaller growing up and got picked on, and it was always by bigger kids. Coaches and teachers at my small school would laugh or shrug it off. One day I got fed up and after class started I took my text book and smashed the nose of one of the bullies as he was sitting at his desk. I got suspended for 2 weeks, nothing happened to the jerk bigger guys.

So I say screw them. You make your bed, you can lay down in it too. Ever seen a big person pick on a big person? Not real often, if at all. If it's one on one and not an everyday occurence...well that's one thing and it's different. But if coaches are allowing smaller players to be gang tackled and hazed....then shame on them and they deserve to get a legal gang tackle and hazing. And sexual assault with a tooth brush? You do that to somebody and you deserve everything you get in court.

**cybsball20** · 06-05-2008, 07:36 AM

The fact that the coaches new about it and even encouraged it, sexual assult? That changes your life forever, I think $5 mill is reasonable...

**Flag Guy** · 06-05-2008, 11:01 AM

Not saying punishment isn't due, but $5,000,000 seems a bit steep.

For the record, I was a smaller guy and got picked on a lot. Fought off a swirly freshman year. Other harassment led to there being no team captains the following year... but I delt with it and moved on.

Motivated me to work harder during practices too. I earned respect in the pool. Didn't make all the **** go away but it certainly helped

**Rogue52** · 06-05-2008, 11:07 AM

$5,000,000 could probably bankrupt a school district.

**Cyclone62** · 06-05-2008, 11:13 AM

Yea, if the coaches knew about it... The school has lost. Also, their licenses and endorsements should be taken away.

**cycopath25** · 06-05-2008, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Rogue52

$5,000,000 could probably bankrupt a school district.

As a school district employee, I agree. This would be massive. I am in a district where they are eliminating a teaching position to make budget for next year. It also doesn't help that they canned the superintenent and paid him $100,000 to leave.

**cytech** · 06-05-2008, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Rogue52

$5,000,000 could probably bankrupt a school district.

Well if the story is true the school district will deserve what it has coming.

**cloneu** · 06-05-2008, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by cybsball20

The fact that the coaches new about it and even encouraged it, sexual assult? That changes your life forever, I think $5 mill is reasonable...

Sucks that the whole school district would have to deal with a couple of the teachers/administrators not doing there job. But I don't think that $5mill is too much if it has messed up this kids life like something like this can.

**dosry5** · 06-05-2008, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Rogue52

$5,000,000 could probably bankrupt a school district.

Wouldn't insurance cover some of this???

**cytech** · 06-05-2008, 11:50 AM

I imagine it would for some of it, but just think what the insurance rates would jump to after that as well.

**everyyard** · 06-05-2008, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by Flag Guy

because their son got a pepper belly?????

WOODTV.com & WOOD TV8: Grand Rapids news, weather, sports and video | Hazing victims' parents sue Coopersville for more than $5 million

Sexual assult with a toothbrush is a little more severe, but not $5 million severe. I hope the jury tosses this case out, and makes the parents pay the legal fees

I say, get what they can get and draw attention to the fact that bullying is wrong, it ruins peoples lives, it has lead to gun violence frequently as the only avenue the victim has left because schools, coaches, parents, bullies, and kids not bullied fail to take it seriously and stop it.

**everyyard** · 06-05-2008, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Flag Guy

Not saying punishment isn't due, but $5,000,000 seems a bit steep.

For the record, I was a smaller guy and got picked on a lot. Fought off a swirly freshman year. Other harassment led to there being no team captains the following year... but I delt with it and moved on.

Motivated me to work harder during practices too. I earned respect in the pool. Didn't make all the **** go away but it certainly helped

ever get raped by a toothbrush?

**BryceC** · 06-05-2008, 12:18 PM

I'm sorry but if I had a toothbrush repeatedly jammed in my *** I would do whatever possible to screw over everybody involved from the people who did it to the people knew and did nothing when it was their responsibility to be stopping crap like that.

**dosry5** · 06-05-2008, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by BryceC

I'm sorry but if I had a toothbrush repeatedly jammed in my *** I would do whatever possible to screw over everybody involved from the people who did it to the people knew and did nothing when it was their responsibility to be stopping crap like that.

I agree completely. Is it unfair to uninvolved students who would be affected by this? Yes. But it's also unfair to those same students to have educators and people in positions of authority over who obviously have no business having an effect on a child's life.