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Sides reach $150,000 deal in school-bullying lawsuit

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A former student at a central Indiana high school has agreed to a $150,000 settlement of her lawsuit claiming school officials failed to stop bullying by a male classmate.

Neither the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. nor the male student admit any wrongdoing in the settlement, which calls for a $100,000 payment from the district's insurance company and $50,000 from the male student's family insurer, The Republic of Columbus reported Wednesday.

The federal lawsuit filed last year and dismissed Nov. 22 claimed the male student at Columbus North High School spread sexually explicit rumors about the girl.

Cheryl Sobieralski said that her daughter, who is now 20 and in college, was bullied and intimidated by the boy throughout the 2008-09 school year and the following summer during band camp. She said that led to her daughter having panic attacks and talking about suicide.

"We had meetings with the school, sent letters to every member of the school board and the superintendent, and the school simply would not do anything about it," Sobieralski said. "We didn't know what to do."

School district Superintendent John Quick said a district review of the bullying claims "found that folks acted in an appropriate manner."

Quick said the district was one of the first in the state to train all administrators in bullying prevention and that it has an active anti-bullying task force.

"I do think that we have good policies and procedures in place, and our folks do follow those," he said. "We don't ignore (bullying). We follow up, and we investigate. We try to take appropriate action."

Joseph O'Connor, an attorney for the male student, said that his client "vigorously denied the allegations."

"Purely to avoid the expense of a federal jury trial, my clients' insurer agreed to pay a settlement, which specifically stated that our clients denied any wrongdoing," O'Connor said.

Sobieralski said the family had never wanted to file a lawsuit and was relieved simply to resolve the matter.

"We never went into this for a monetary reason," she said. "It was always to make a point and to try to change people's reaction to bullying in (the district) in the future."

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  1. The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.

  2. I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!

  3. Coming from her background,she should be used to those kinds of advances! Menard probably figured it was ok to tuck a buck!

  4. I'm still waiting for the list of available, high quality apartments in the Village.

  5. This criminal masquerading as a lawyer obviously has serious issues. He’s been proven by his own testimony to be a pathological liar and probably has a personality disorder as he seems to be constructing a reality around himself. He places no value on truth, honesty or loyalty as evidenced by what he has done to his clients and his own family. And by the demands and lies he has made in court, it is evident he feels entitled to do and say whatever suits his purpose and everyone else is expected to nod obediently and believe him because he is, after all, Bill Super Lawyer; or BS lawyer for short. This millionaire wanna-be no longer owns anything of value; he squandered it and put everything he had into foreclosure. He has no money, house, car, boat or vacation home left to show for what he earned or what he stole. He’s just another loser without morals who will be doing time. I’m certain all of his courtroom shenanigans are antagonizing his poor victims. As Lamar said, his behavior and claims in court have been outrageous. The judge needs to be more than concerned; he needs to be judicial and end this nonsense.

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