Middle School Fails To Adequately Supervise Students During Lunch

Case Overview

This case involves a middle school student with a history of violence who engaged in a physical altercation with an Autistic student. Both students were in the cafeteria when the violent student approached the Autistic student. The violent student began to verbally accost the Autistic student and flipped the Autistic student’s lunch tray onto the floor. The Autistic student attempted to defend himself but the violent student punched him and knocked him to the ground. The Autistic boy suffered injuries to his orbital bone and head. It was alleged that the school failed to provide adequate security and supervision to the students during their lunch hour.

Questions to the Education expert and their responses

Please describe your experience as it relates to student safety policies surrounding bullying claims.

I provide training on violence prevention and anti-bullying as part of an array of courses through a national nonprofit for educators on school safety that I founded. As a 28 year veteran of public education, mostly as an administrator, I have extensive experience in the evolution and implementation of bullying and anti-violence initiatives, policies, and procedures. I worked with both elementary and secondary populations in schools where aggressive behavior and disciplinary issues were prevalent. I was also effective in implementing practices that decreased and prevented violence and bullying. As an associate professor in educational administration, the courses in which I specialize deal with safety issues, discipline/classroom management, and policy creation. I have reviewed cases and issues associated with bullying, violence, and the 'benign neglect' or misconduct of school employees and/or districts. I most recently served as an expert witness for a case involving harassment and a negative school climate.

About the expert

This expert has almost three decades of experience as a school administrator and teacher. She holds a BE in secondary education, an ME in curriculum and instruction, and an EdD in educational administration from the University of Toledo. She is a nationally recognized school safety expert and a FEMA/DHS certified instructor and course developer, and she has experience teaching grades 3-12. She is also a certified school safety consultant & trainer by the Prae Group. Formerly, she was the curriculum director at Oregon City Schools and she spent over 10 years as a principal at Wynn Elementary School and Northwood Middle School. Currently, she serves as a tenured associate professor of educational administration and the chair of doctoral studies and advanced programs at a distinguished university in Ohio. In addition, she is the founder and director of programs for an educators' school safety network, also in Ohio.