Bullying victim's family sues Joshua schools

The family of 13-year-old Jon Carmichael filed suit yesterday in federal court against the Joshua Independent School District, claiming that school officials ignored and even covered up the months of cruel harassment and bullying that drive Jon to suicide in March of last year.
The lawsuit was filed Monday, March 28, in federal district court in Dallas, exactly one year after Jon hung himself in his family’s barn. Joshua is located just outside of Cleburne, south of Fort Worth in Johnson County.
Reports at the time of his death indicated that Jon was bullied because he was smaller than his classmates at Loflin Middle School.
A report in today’s Fort Worth Star-Telegram says that among the bullying Jon endured was being thrown into a trash dumpster and having his head held down in a toilet while it was flushed. Just before Jon hanged himself, the lawsuit alleges, he was stripped naked and put in a trash can. This time the attack was videotaped and posted on YouTube. It was removed at the direction of a school staff member, but that staff member did not report the incident, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit also claims that on the day Jon died, he told a girl he was going to commit suicide and she told him to go ahead because no one cared if he lived or died.
School superintendent Ray Dane said he has not seen the lawsuit and had no comment.
Jon’s mother and sister were among those who went to Austin on Tuesday, March 22, to testify in favor of comprehensive anti-bullying legislation being considered by Texas lawmakers.

8 Comments

JOHN GISH on March 29, 2011 at 7:34 pm

Hold their feet to the fire and get some decent anti-bullying legislation

FRAN KAHN on March 29, 2011 at 9:42 pm

I can’t even look at this young boy’s face without wanting to cry. I’m so, so sorry for his family. I hope those who tormented him, (even those “turning a blind eye”) will forever live with the guilt knowing they had the hand in causing the death of an innocent child.

Amy on March 29, 2011 at 9:51 pm

This was my middle school as a kid. I see things haven’t changed at all. A young man committed suicide when I went there because he was incessantly bullied for his albinism. This is a small, poverty-stricken community. It is very cliquish and backwards. I’m sure all middle schools are challenging for kids, but this entire school district needs an OVERHAUL.
And who was the teacher who didn’t report the video that was posted of his boy being bullied? His blood is on your hands! Pathetic.

Teresa Rowley on March 30, 2011 at 5:17 am

Im sure that girl who he told he was going to commit suicide is pretty traumatized! Its a shame it may have taken just one person to say something nice and he may have reconsidered. Some anti-bullying legislation defiantly needs implementing!

alyssa on March 30, 2011 at 6:43 am

why tell the school anyways. I’ve heard so many stories about schools not doing anything but letting it happen. Instead of telling the school go to the police. They will do more damage than schools do. If you ask me, people are stupid to watch a poor little boy go through bullying and tell that boy it’s ok if you kill youself. everyong should be ashamed of there self for not reporting it and not doing something about it. I am sooooo sorry for the family that has to go through that. also for the many families that are also dealing with bullying.

Douglas Johnson on March 30, 2011 at 5:24 pm

My future wife and I were sick to our stomach this afternoon after seeing this on the news. So much so that we seen this on a tv at a restaurant and could not even finish our lunch while we were discussing the same type of problems we are having with our 12 year old in South Carolina. It is so unfortunate that we as a society have allowed our schools to not adequately address this issue when they clearly know it is happening. Our prayers go out to this young boy’s family.

diana on April 26, 2011 at 2:09 pm

I’m the grandmother of two little girls, 5 & 7. Jon was their uncle..they called Jon their “bubba”…..a day does not go by that the girls talk about their bubba:…Jon was loved dearly by many…Shame shame on Joshua ISD…shame shame on the teachers who laughed the bulling with boys being boys.I hope u never have to sit and hold a cry child longing to play with their bubba….

Carmen on December 9, 2011 at 1:28 pm

I can’t believe this. Why would a school let this happen?? I have no clue why people could do that. Rest in piece Jon, we are here for you.

JOHN GISH on March 29, 2011 at 7:34 pm

Hold their feet to the fire and get some decent anti-bullying legislation
FRAN KAHN on March 29, 2011 at 9:42 pm

I can’t even look at this young boy’s face without wanting to cry. I’m so, so sorry for his family. I hope those who tormented him, (even those “turning a blind eye”) will forever live with the guilt knowing they had the hand in causing the death of an innocent child.
Amy on March 29, 2011 at 9:51 pm

This was my middle school as a kid. I see things haven’t changed at all. A young man committed suicide when I went there because he was incessantly bullied for his albinism. This is a small, poverty-stricken community. It is very cliquish and backwards. I’m sure all middle schools are challenging for kids, but this entire school district needs an OVERHAUL.
And who was the teacher who didn’t report the video that was posted of his boy being bullied? His blood is on your hands! Pathetic.
Teresa Rowley on March 30, 2011 at 5:17 am

Im sure that girl who he told he was going to commit suicide is pretty traumatized! Its a shame it may have taken just one person to say something nice and he may have reconsidered. Some anti-bullying legislation defiantly needs implementing!
alyssa on March 30, 2011 at 6:43 am

why tell the school anyways. I’ve heard so many stories about schools not doing anything but letting it happen. Instead of telling the school go to the police. They will do more damage than schools do. If you ask me, people are stupid to watch a poor little boy go through bullying and tell that boy it’s ok if you kill youself. everyong should be ashamed of there self for not reporting it and not doing something about it. I am sooooo sorry for the family that has to go through that. also for the many families that are also dealing with bullying.
Douglas Johnson on March 30, 2011 at 5:24 pm

My future wife and I were sick to our stomach this afternoon after seeing this on the news. So much so that we seen this on a tv at a restaurant and could not even finish our lunch while we were discussing the same type of problems we are having with our 12 year old in South Carolina. It is so unfortunate that we as a society have allowed our schools to not adequately address this issue when they clearly know it is happening. Our prayers go out to this young boy’s family.
diana on April 26, 2011 at 2:09 pm

I’m the grandmother of two little girls, 5 & 7. Jon was their uncle..they called Jon their “bubba”…..a day does not go by that the girls talk about their bubba:…Jon was loved dearly by many…Shame shame on Joshua ISD…shame shame on the teachers who laughed the bulling with boys being boys.I hope u never have to sit and hold a cry child longing to play with their bubba….
Carmen on December 9, 2011 at 1:28 pm

I can’t believe this. Why would a school let this happen?? I have no clue why people could do that. Rest in piece Jon, we are here for you.