EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — A California appeals court has ruled in favor of Eleri Irons, a former middle school student, reinstating a $1 million verdict against the El Segundo Unified School District for its failure to protect her from a nearly year-long harassment campaign that involved verbal and cyberbullying.
In the 2022 ruling by a Los Angeles Superior Court jury, the district was found negligent in its duty to supervise and adequately train its staff. This determination arrived after Irons, who was just 13 at the time the bullying began in fall 2017, suffered considerable emotional distress.
“This ruling confirms what the jury already knew,” said Christa Ramey, attorney for Irons. “Eleri was failed at every level by the very people who were supposed to protect her.”
Irons initiated legal action against the school district in 2019, alleging harassment by three students, including two former friends. The bullying escalated after she inquired about dating one of their ex-partners. Court records detail how one student turned hostile on social media, hurling slurs at Irons, making obscene gestures, and even resorting to physical violence on occasion.
Despite reaching out to a school counselor for help, the situation worsened. When Irons presented evidence of the harassment, the counselor reportedly dismissed her concerns, suggesting that “girls will be girls.” Irons, feeling unprotected, and her family escalated their complaints to the principal and faculty, yet the bullying persisted unabated.
The harassment culminated in the creation of a petition called “End Eleri Irons’ life,” which circulated among students. While the petition’s creator was suspended alongside another student for their actions, neither Irons nor her family were informed by school officials about the materials circulating on campus.
The fallout from the bullying took a significant toll on Irons’ mental health, leading to diagnoses of PTSD and anxiety disorders. Seeking relief, she transferred to a private high school by the end of the academic year.
Following her lawsuit in 2019, Irons was awarded $700,000 and an additional $300,000 in 2022 for noneconomic damages. The school district contested the ruling, arguing that the trial court wrongly applied the education code to Irons’ case and asserting immunity for decisions made by its staff regarding the bullying.
However, the appeals court deemed these objections unfounded, underscoring the district’s obligation to safeguard its students. The court emphasized that Irons presented clear evidence showing that school employees failed to adhere to standard procedures for addressing bullying incidents.
Ramey criticized the district for opting to spend taxpayer funds battling in court rather than supporting Irons during her recovery, calling their actions “cowardice” rather than “leadership.”
The court’s decision reinforces the ongoing conversation about bullying in schools and the responsibilities of educational institutions to provide safe environments for their students.
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