Parent: Lawrence bullying was ignored

LAWRENCE, Ind. (WISH) - Tormented and taunted. That's what a mother says has been happening to her son for four months. Her son is an 8th grader at Belzer Middle School.

“I'm scared everyday that I am going to get a call that something has happened to him,” she said. “He has received FB threats. Kids showed up on the bus stop to jump him. Every day it has been something.”

Kisa Cunningham says she's been contacting school officials since in August. Cunningham says the district didn't respond until this week, only after she threatened to get an attorney.

Cunningham shared an e-mail with 24-Hour News 8 she says she got from the assistant principal. In part it says, "If you feel Belzer is not a safe place for your son - request a transfer."

The assistant principal also says he told the students accused of bullying there would be "consequences if they harmed her son when he got off the bus or on his way home.”

Cunningham alleges the same teens that are bullying her son, broke into their Lawrence home in August. That’s when the trouble started.

Detectives with the Lawrence Police Department say they are investigating but need to collect additional evidence to see if the suspected school bullies are linked to the burglary suspects. Detectives say they have interviews with two of the suspected bullies Monday.

Meanwhile, the district released the following statement:

“The staff at Belzer has been working with the family to resolve a conflict that started in the neighborhood and has made its way into the school. The Belzer staff puts the safety of its students first, and they have worked with the students involved to resolve this issue. The district can’t comment about any possible disciplinary actions involving students because this would violate their rights under federal law. We can share that a bus picks him up each morning and drops him off each afternoon at his home. Other issues that involve students outside Lawrence Township Schools and other community members are best handled by the local police force.”