In the city of Philadelphia there was a $500,000 verdict in a School Bullying case. The case dealt with a juvenile named Amanda Wible and her struggle of being bullied threw the Philadelphia school district for her gender -and other related issues. school bullying The trial was first heard at the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia where Judge Gene Cohen put a $500,000 verdict on the Philadelphia School District for failing to stop the bullying against Wible. The Judge ruled actions of the school district violated the Pennsylvania Human Relation Act (PHRA), which forbids sex discrimination. This was the first ruling in PA state courts that recognized a cause of action under PHRA for student bullying. This ruling by the court should assist other student’s that are being bullied at their schools.
In regards to why the court awarded a $500,000 verdict in the school bullying case, the court reviewed the student’s history at the school. Amanda Wible started attending Robert B. Pollock Elementary in northeast Philadelphia, in the fall of 2003. victims of crime This is when the teasing, taunting, and harassing began due to her gender presentation. She was then physically assaulted and her mother then reported the incident to the school and the bully was then suspended. No further action to stop the bullying in Pollock. Wible was then transferred to Alternative Middle Years at James Martin School in Port Richmond. The bullying continued as she was punched, teased, shoved, and had objects thrown at her. The events were reported, but no actions were taken. In 2010, while she was in 7th grade, she was attacked by 10 students and began to start having panic attacks due to these situations. Before Wible was transferred to C.C.A. Baldi Middle School in Bustleton, her mother met with the principal, vice principal, and teachers to explain the situation of the bullying. Even with this said she was still tormented due to her gender presentation.