LYNN, Mass. (AP) — The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled a school district cannot be held financially liable for bullying that left a child paralyzed.
The state’s highest court ruled Tuesday state law protects school districts from being held liable for injuries a bullied student sustains.
The ruling came in the case of Matthew Mumbauer, a fourth-grade student at Brickett Elementary School in Lynn. Court documents show Matthew was repeatedly targeted by student in his class, and the student pushed Matthew down a stairwell in 2008 causing permanent paralysis.
Matthew’s family sued the city, school district and administrators, saying they were negligent in failing to act.
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Justice Kimberly Budd wrote in the decision while elementary school workers should have done more to protect Matthew, they are exempt from liability by law.