A mother from Florida has entered into a conflict with her daughter's former school, claiming that it failed to take action against a student who threatened to shoot her fifth-grader in a TikTok video.
Trisha Brown asserted that despite her child's fear of returning, the school allowed the perpetrator to remain in class at Blake Academy in Lakeland.
As she continued to voice her concerns, administrators even threatened the mother with trespassing charges.
The video, created last month, features pictures of her 11-year-old daughter, the alleged tormentor, and two other students superimposed onto an image of a school hallway.
Through subtitles and computer-generated voices, the daughter can be seen demanding lunch money from her bully, who refuses. The bully states, "I said I ain't giving up nothing," before an image resembling a water gun appears beneath her face.
Gunfire sounds are heard as the altercation continues, with children screaming. Brown's daughter's picture then falls sideways under a skull emoji.
According to the mom, the student later threatened her daughter, stating that she would target her mother and physically harm her.
Brown, who resides in Plant City, promptly reported the incident to the school, demanding the removal of the student from class. However, her request was denied.
Emotionally recounting her experience at a Polk County School Board meeting, Brown explained that while the bully remained in school, her daughter was forced to stay home due to fear.
Despite Brown's efforts to protest the school's handling of the case, administrators eventually instructed her not to return to the premises or face trespassing charges.
Determined to protect her child, Brown shared her story publicly, hoping to raise awareness and prevent other mothers from enduring similar struggles.
In response to the incident becoming public, Rosabelle Blake Academy in Lakeland, Florida, issued a statement asserting that they could not discipline the bully because the activity occurred off-campus.
Officials claimed to have investigated the incident and found no history of bullying between the two students, stating that they had previously been friendly with each other.
The school further mentioned that the parent's behavior had escalated to the point of disrupting school operations, leading to the trespassing warning and involvement of local police.
Brown refutes the district's claim that they initially assisted her in escalating the matter legally, emphasizing that she was advised to solely go through the school. The school's statement acknowledged that children, particularly of this age, sometimes engage in foolish behavior on social media.
However, they assured that all such incidents are taken seriously and thoroughly investigated to assess any potential threats to safety.
Brown reported the incident to the police, and the State Attorney's Office is currently investigating the matter.
Her daughter, who did not return to class for the remaining days of the school year, will attend another school next year.
Brown expressed her disappointment, stating that she had hoped the bully would be suspended for the remainder of the year and removed from the school immediately.
Source - New York Post
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