FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Parents are once again demanding Fairfield City Schools find a comprehensive solution for bullying within the district after Jennifer Mangat announced on social media that her Creekside Middle School student, Braylon Kline, suffered a fractured vertebra in his neck in an altercation with another student during gym class Tuesday.
Braylon said he had angered another student by throwing a dodgeball at him during an unstructured play period, and the student shoved him into a wall.
"I passed out for a bit, and then some friends helped me up," he said.
He approached substitute teacher Jason Evans who agreed to let him see the school nurse.
Mangat said a visit to Cincinnati Children's Hospital indicated he'd fractured the T1 vertebrae in his neck, and he cut and bruised his back.
"He went like that and pushed me hard into the wall. Instead of going nose first, I went head first. I turned around, and my back slammed into a metal chair as I went down to the floor," Braylon said.
Mangat said her son and his twin brother have been constantly bullied during their three years at Creekside Middle School, and claims Braylon was bullied for wearing a neck brace upon returning to school Wednesday.
"Things keep happening and happening, and it's caused this injury, and it can't be reversed," she said.
A representative of the Fairfield City School District said they couldn't comment on specific discipline issues within the school, but issued a statement saying the school district takes every allegation of bullying seriously.
"In regard to how the district responds to bullying, bullying behavior by any student/school personnel is strictly prohibited in our school district. As a result, any bullying allegation brought forward is taken seriously and investigated. As a district, we continue to take advantage of opportunities to educate our students about harassment and bullying in an attempt to reduce or eliminate unacceptable and or harmful behaviors," the statement read, in part.
The substitute, Evans, said he'd been terminated by the district and accepted accountability for the injuries Braylon suffered.
"It was under my supervision. I have to be held accountable, and I accept that. It's fair," he said.
Evans joined Braylon's parents in calling for the district to do more to prevent bullying as a whole, however, saying he was bullied himself when he rose through the Fairfield School District.
He also said he was classmates with Emilie Olsen, whose family said bullying led to her 2014 suicide.
"It's just an ongoing problem that, it's like everyone knows about, but no one wants to talk about," Evans said.
Evans agreed to an interview with the hope that increased transparency within the district would help lead to a reduction in bullying within the district.
Braylon's step-dad Matthew Stubbs called for the district to find a solution to the problem before something even worse happens to his son or others.
"If it doesn't get addressed, more and more kids are going to get more than hurt," Stubbs said. "I hate to say it that way, but more parents are going to be burying their kids."
Fairfield City School District urged parents who believe their kids have been bullied to fill out and file the bullying report form found on the district's website.
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