At least one person will face charges after a teen girl with special needs and her friend were attacked by other students inside a classroom at a middle school in Delaware, according to police.
The incident, which was captured on video and later posted on social media, occurred on February 8 at Stanton Middle School in Wilmington.
Lori Kaczmarczyk, the mother of the victim, told NBC10 her 13-year-old daughter suffered a minor concussion, a neck injury and some of her hair was pulled out. She also said her daughter’s phone was stolen.
“It’s not funny. Someone could really get hurt,” Kaczmarczyk said. “I realize kids are going to get in fights. They are going to get in arguments. But we have to protect them better than this.”
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Police confirmed with NBC10 that a 13-year-old girl will face simple assault and aggravated assault charges in connection to the attack. They continue to investigate the incident.
Kaczmarczyk said her daughter is special needs and on an Individualized Education Program dealing with emotional issues. Her daughter had just started classes at Stanton the same week of the attack after switching schools because of previous bullying, according to Kaczmarczyk.
Kaczmarczyk also said her daughter’s attacker and other students involved weren’t even supposed to be in the classroom at the time of the assault.
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“For a situation like this to occur in a classroom with kids coming into the classroom unauthorized, during what’s supposed to be class time, how does that happen? There’s a failure all around,” Kaczmarczyk said.
Kaczmarczyk said her daughter’s friend, a 14-year-old girl, tried to help her but was attacked as well.
“I think it’s disgusting. I think that there’s no accountability from the staff or the teachers,” Sara Harms, the mother of the 14-year-old girl, told NBC10.
Both Harms and Kaczmarczyk believe the fight started over a boy. They also claim their daughters told staff members four times about threats they received from other students but nothing was done.
Towards the end of the video of the attack, an adult in a maroon shirt steps in for a moment. Harms told NBC10 the man is a substitute teacher.
Both victims haven’t returned to Stanton since the incident occurred and are both looking for new schools.
NBC10 reached out to the Red Clay School District for comment. We have not yet heard back from them.
