School officials in upscale Danville, California, are facing criticism for doing little to punish a San Ramon Valley High School student who secretly filmed a fellow student in the bathroom and posted the video on social media.
The 17-year-old girl confessed to taking a video of her classmate with her pants down in a bathroom stall and received a three-day suspension. The victim’s parents, however, are not satisfied with the punishment reported the East Bay Times. The alleged bully is a star athlete and was allowed to remain on her team and participate in the season’s championship competition.
The victim’s mother, Denise Lynch, addressed the San Ramon Valley Unified School District this week, asking them to do more to address the issue. Despite the suspension, Lynch’s daughter sees the bully at school every day and “is suffering” she claimed.
The girl’s father, Sean Lynch, a former police lieutenant, is asking the district to “do their job” and said, “Had my daughter not told us… or, God forbid, killed herself, everyone would be asking themselves, ‘What more could have been done?’ Now is the time to do something,” according to the East Bay Times.
A MOTHER'S PAINToday I signed up for Facebook. I’ve resisted social media for many years for many reasons. The…
Posted by Denise Lynch on Friday, May 26, 2017
District officials contend they reported the incident to the Danville police who investigated and they then took appropriate disciplinary action. According to the East Bay Times, district spokeswoman Elizabeth Graswich said that “the district uses progressive discipline, meaning that the type of discipline may in part depend on a student’s past behavioral history.”
The district has not provided details of the event, citing student privacy.
The Lynchs discovered the video when it was posted on social media in April, after it was taken in November. After the Lynch home was the target of a prank, the Lynches asked their two children if they knew who may have done it. Ultimately, their investigation led to the video of their daughter urinating in a school bathroom stall. Screenshots clearly show their daughter’s face.
The Lynches then reported the incident to the school resource officer which led to the confession by, and subsequent suspension of, the perpetrator.
The girl was cited by Danville police for invasion of privacy, which is a misdemeanor and will be reviewed by the Contra Costa Juvenile Probation Department. The Lynches may consider taking legal action, a Danville police spokesman told NBC Bay Area.
[Feature Photo: Facebook]
