HOPEWELL, Va. -- A 7th grader attends Carter G. Woodson Middle School has been targeted by bullies for more than a year, according to his mother, and it’s led him to cutting himself.
"There's never a day he can just go to school, come home and there's not an incident," says the Hopewell mother of a 12-year-old.
CBS 6 is not identifying her to protect her son's identity.
Two weeks ago, there was an incident involving a teacher, who was in the restroom at the same time as her son.
She says the teacher asked him: "Why did you use the stall and not the urinal? Are you afraid someone’s going to see your little p*****?"
After finding the male teachers name out, the mom went to the school.
"First of all, he should be made to apologize, that's first and foremost,” she said. The mother said she was told when confronted that the teacher admitted what he said, but when she asked what the school was going to do, she was told they couldn't give her specifics.
"They say he was disciplined but I don’t know he was not suspended, because he's been there".
The young man, his mom says, has now started cutting his wrists and there are concerns he is suicidal and still the bullying continues.
"They took his binder and like stomped on it, so made it that the metal rings were, you couldn't even open them.”
Dr. David Buxton, a psychiatrist with Chippenham and Johnston-Willis Hospitals says one in four students are bullied and parents should be on the look out to see if their children are victims.
"Younger children you look for basic things, are they not eating the same, are they not sleeping well,” Buxton said. “A lot of younger kids will have some type of systemic complain, many a stomach ache or headache kind of things they're trying to avoid not going to school.’
When dealing with older children and teenagers Dr. Buxton says they “maybe more irritable, a little bit more rebellious or on the other side they may be more isolated.”
"If you have any concerns as a parent you should just ask, hey how are things going at school, I'd start in a very general way and then get more specific,” he added.
The school responded to the accusation. “Hopewell City Schools is aware of the incident in question at Carter G Woodson. We take all matters very seriously and we’re actively working with the family to address their concerns. Due to the sensitive nature of this situation and out of respect for the privacy of our student, we will not comment while this investigation is ongoing.”
