As a nurse, I’m no stranger to emergencies, but nothing could have prepared me for the call I received from my daughter’s school. A teacher informed me that my daughter had struck another student, and I needed to come in immediately.
Upon arrival, I was ushered into the principal’s office, where I found my daughter, her advisor, a male teacher, the principal, the boy who had been hit, and his parents. The atmosphere was tense, and it was clear that the school was more concerned with my daughter’s actions than the boy’s behavior.
As the story unfolded, I discovered that the boy had been snapping my daughter’s bra, despite her repeated requests for him to stop. When she finally defended herself by punching him in the face, the teacher told her to “ignore it.” I was appalled.
I turned to the teacher and asked why he hadn’t intervened, why he had allowed this behavior to continue. I demanded to know why he thought it was acceptable for a boy to touch a girl in such a way. The room fell silent, and the teacher refused to make eye contact with me.
The principal attempted to shift the focus back to my daughter’s actions, but I refused to back down. I pointed out that my daughter had been defending herself against a sexual attack, and that the school had failed to protect her.
I took my daughter home that day, but I didn’t let the matter drop. I reported the incident to the School Board, and I made it clear that I would not tolerate any further harassment of my daughter. The school took action, moving my daughter to a different class and addressing the boy’s behavior.
As a mother, it’s my job to protect my daughter, and I will stop at nothing to ensure her safety and well-being. I hope that my daughter’s story will serve as a reminder to schools and educators everywhere that sexual harassment will not be tolerated.
